The Golden Years Of Love
by FriendsLovers
Summary: New York, 1928 - Danny and Lindsay are together and happy now, but is it that easy? Will Sid Hammerback accept his daughter's boyfriend? Will Mac allow himself to fall in love with Stella? And what's going on with Flack and Jessica? - DL, SMacked, FA
1. My Home And My Love

**Summary: New York, 1928 - Danny and Lindsay are together and happy now. But is it really so easy? Will Sid Hammerback accept his daughter's relationship with a man who's not from the high societly? Will Mac allow himself to fall in love with Stella? And what's going on with Flack and Jessica? - DL, with Smacked and FA**

**Author's note: This is the sequel to my history series. You don't have to read the series to read this story though. All the information you'll need will be mentioned in the chapters from time to time. This is a DL fic, so Danny/Lindsay will be the main part of it, but there will also be loads of Mac/Stella and Flack/Angell in it in later chapters. I hope you'll like it. Please review. Reviews are much appreciated! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything**

**Rating: T**

**Chapter 1: My Home and My Love**

New York, 1928.

It was late. Danny was still sitting at his desk, working on a file. One file of a huge stick of paperwork his boss Mac Taylor had given to him early in the morning when he had arrived at the large building. The stick had been waiting on his desk already. Now there were two sticks, the one with the yet to do work unfortunately still higher than the one with the already finished files.

Danny loved his job as a private investigator. Of course he wasn't all too happy with the fact that although he wasn't supposed to have a boss, he had to work for another man. As a PI he could simply work as his own boss. But when Mac had offered him this job, needing some help because all the clients the older man had were becoming too much for him to handle on his own, he had taken it of course. Who would have said no? It was much easier to get money when a famous PI like Mac Taylor let you work with him instead of trying to be his competitor, trying to make himself famous and get himself enough clients to earn money for rent and food.

Danny's job was his passion. He couldn't deny he wasn't a fan of working his way through such a large stick of paperwork. It had to be done though. And usually this had never been a problem. But right now Danny couldn't really concentrate.

Sighing lightly, Danny got up from his chair. In the dimmed light of his office, he walked over to the window across his desk. It was dark outside. Dark and surprisingly quiet for a large city like New York. Most people were at home already. How much he wished he could be at home as well, together with his girlfriend. Lindsay.

At the thought of Lindsay, a warm smile lit Danny's face. Officially they were together for not even a month yet. But in fact their relationship had started a while ago. Which actually hadn't been planned, and also hadn't been allowed to happen.

When Danny had met Lindsay for the first time, she had been forbidden for him; he wasn't supposed to have any kind of relationship with a client. And this was what she had been; a client. Lindsay had come to him because she had needed his help; help because she was desperate, not knowing what to do against her abusive boyfriend, the drug dealer Daniel Katums.

Danny could clearly remember the early start of their relationship. He had tried to stay away from her, he had really tried it. It hadn't worked though. There had always been this bond between them, since the very first time they met. Of course he had always been aware of how dangerous their relationship was. But after all it had given him the strength and determination to manage to do what Mac and the police of New York had been trying for such a long time already; Katums had been arrested, together with his companions James Vackner, Shane Casey and a couple of other people who had been involved in Katums' alcohol business.

Now no one could step between them anymore and even Lindsay's father, the famous doctor Sid Hammerback, was more than pleased the two of them were together now. Although Danny wasn't entirely sure if the man wasn't just glad that his daughter was together with a man who wanted to protect her and didn't plan on abusing her like her former boyfriend, who she had even been supposed to marry.

The fact that now they were finally officially together was also the reason why Danny didn't like to stay at work. He wanted to be together with her, as much as possible. It had been a hard and very rocky path to get to the point they were at now. But Mac Taylor needed him and he needed the money. No matter what Sid Hammerback had told him. Danny wasn't going to let the doctor pay for him and Lindsay. But this was another story and he wasn't going to stress himself with that now.

Deep in his thoughts, he almost missed when his boss opened the door to his office. He only noticed him when Mac cleared his throat to make his presence known.

"Good evening, Danny," he greeted his younger colleague. "I saw lights burning in here. What are you still doing here?"

Danny nodded towards the two sticks of files resting on his desk. "I haven't even done half of the work yet."

A light smile lit Mac's face. "When I gave you those files, I didn't mean you had to finish them all today. It's work for the next days. If I was you I'd go home now. It's late."

"Thank you, Mac," Danny replied. "Have a good night."

"Have a good night yourself," Mac said before he closed the office door again.

--------

When Danny arrived at the large apartment building he called his home, he felt the all so familiar relief spreading inside him. Relief that yet another day of work had ended and he could relax now. Relief because at his place, no one could tell him what to do. Relief because up there, in his apartment his beloved girlfriend was waiting for him.

Although Danny had to admit he didn't really understand why Lindsay loved to be at his place so much. Of course he was glad she wanted to be together with him all the time; it was exactly what he wanted himself. He didn't understand why she loved to be at his place instead of asking him to go to hers; a large penthouse which her father had bought her. Compared to this place and to what she was used to, Danny found his own apartment way too small and plain.

Quickly he made his way up to the apartment. Like always with anticipation, he opened the front door. He found the lights still burning and when he entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the smell of what hopefully was his dinner.

"Danny? Is that you?" Lindsay's voice asked from the bedroom. Before he could answer, she joined him in the kitchen.

The dinner was quickly forgotten when his eyes found her. A warm smile was playing around her lips. She was already dressed in a short sleeping dress, white and thin, surely out of silk. Her curls were smoothly falling onto her bare shoulders. Her beautiful brown eyes were sparkling. If it was up to Danny, he could spend hours with simply watching her.

"You're late. Did Mr. Taylor keep you busy?" she asked, taking the plate from him to fill it with food.

"Yes, there was a lot to do. But he allowed me to go home," he answered, still watching every of her movements. He was surprised whenever she started to act like a housewife around him. He knew back home she had had people for that. But obviously she enjoyed taking care of his place on her own. "How was your day?"

"Oh, it was nice," she replied while she set the plate onto the kitchen table, together with a glass of water before she sat down and waited for him to join her. "I've been at the university this morning and later I did some grocery shopping and cooking." She blushed lightly before she added, "I don't understand why so many women have people for that. It's much nicer to do such stuff by yourself."

Danny chuckled. "I'm glad you enjoy it."

In silence he ate for a while and she watched him. There was still this smile on her face; a smile that made him feel wonderfully warm inside. She was happy. With him. It meant a lot to him and once again it relieved him.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he said then.

Lindsay instantly blushed. "Hopefully as much as I love you."

Danny smiled. "I'm pretty sure about that. It's wonderful to come home and have the woman you love waiting for you."

Lindsay chuckled. "It's also nice to be here and wait for you to come home." She filled his glass with water again before she added, "So, and now tell me, how was your day?"

While Danny started to tell Lindsay how his day had been, he couldn't stop smiling. The love in her eyes and in her smile made him incredibly happy. Of course he was still nervous when he had to be around her father, who earned more money a day than he did in a month, and of course sometimes he worried if he earned enough to pay for the two of them. But moments where both of them were happy like this made him push those thoughts away. They loved each other and this was important.

**Preview: Lindsay is still having nightmares because of Katums, but Danny is there to support her.**


	2. Let Me Support You

**Author's note: Aww, thank you so much for the sweet reviews! I'm so happy you like this story. It's so much fun to write! I have loads of ideas for it. At the moment the focus is on DL, but soon there'll be a lot of SMacked and FA moments as well. Everyone will have their own little storylines. I hope you'll like them. Also thanks to everyone who added the story to their favourites and alerts! I'm trying to write this fic as realistic as possible, what I know about the twentieth I know from websites and books. Lol**

**Special thanks to afrozenheart412, lily moonlight and Montana Angell for supporting me, reading through the chapters and discussing. It's so much fun! And lily, can't wait for your next update. ;)**

**Chapter 2: Let Me Support You  
**

"No!"

It was a loud scream that echoed through the small apartment in New York. Shocked by the sudden loud noise, Danny shot up in his bed, just in time to see Lindsay trying to leave the bed. He didn't need a single moment to understand what was going on; she had had yet another nightmare that must have scared her. This happened a lot; since Katums had been arrested, Lindsay had stayed at his place every night. Actually she wasn't supposed to do that; they weren't married or at least engaged yet. But they didn't really care about that.

Before she could get up, he quickly grabbed her around her waist, earning another scared scream from her. She tried to fight back, tried to get away from him. Danny quickly closed the distance between them and held her close against him.

"Shh, it's me. Everything's okay, it's just me. You're save," he whispered, gently stroking her back.

It took her another few moments until she realised where she was and who it was she was fighting with. Then her arms closed around him and she pressed herself against him as close as humanly possible. She was crying now, shivering, clinging to him. Danny kept on talking to Lindsay quietly, trying to calm her down again which he knew would take some time.

While holding her tight, letting her cry and trying to calm her down, Danny once again wondered how Katums must have treated her during her relationship with him. Of course Danny knew a few details, mainly because he had questioned her about every new bruise he had discovered on her body and because she had told him a short summary when she had asked him for help.

Since Danny knew her, he had tried to find out more. But until now Lindsay had avoided to share too much about her past. She tried to suppress those memories, but still they kept on coming back, especially during the night when she was woken up by nightmares at least once a night. He didn't want to push her and also didn't plan on questioning her. He hoped that one day she would open up to him on her own, but he wondered when she'd finally be willing to do that.

Like always when she had a nightmare, it took Lindsay several long minutes until her crying slowly changed into sobbing and until she stopped crying completely. Still she was clinging to him, needing his support and closeness. He was glad she felt save around him and he was willing to be there for her as much as possible.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly. "Do you maybe need something? A tea? Or something to eat?"

Pulling back out of his embrace lightly, she shook her head. Visibly embarrassed, she tried to wipe her tears away. He knew this instinct all too good; don't show too many emotions. This was what she had been taught since she was a child, and he had a hard time with showing her that showing emotions wasn't bad.

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered, so quietly he could barely hear her. Blushing lightly, she added, "I'm sorry I woke you up. And..."

"It's okay, no need to apologize," Danny replied. Gently he pulled her back into his arm and lay down with her again. "Let's try to go back to sleep."

Lindsay only nodded in response, cuddling closer against him while he wrapped them into his blanket again.

---------

As much as Danny loved his job, he wished he could stay at home more often to spend time with his girlfriend. He didn't like it to get up early in the morning when she was still asleep. At least this time she hadn't been woken up by another nightmare again.

Carefully and as quietly as possible, he got dressed, made himself a coffee and breakfast. Satisfied he noticed he hadn't woken her up yet. He knew she didn't like it when he left without saying anything, so he headed over to his bed again. Smiling lightly, he took her in; tightly wrapped into his blanket, deep asleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed, gently wiping her hair out of her face. She stirred lightly before she released a light sigh and opened her eyes to glance up at him.

"Good morning," he whispered, placing a soft kiss onto her forehead. "I have to go to work now. I made you breakfast and coffee."

A smile lit her face. "Thank you," she said. Once again blushing lightly, she added, "Also for...being there for me again. I'm sorry I woke you up again. And for...crying."

"Like I said, no need to apologize," Danny told her. Again he kissed her. "I'll see you in a few hours. Have a nice day."

"You, too," she replied, waving at him.

A few minutes later, he had left for work and she was alone in the apartment again. Sighing lightly, Lindsay sat up in bed. Stretching her arms, she let her eyes wander through the room. A light smile lit her face, like every time she took this apartment in. Every corner of this place showed it was Danny's place. It was like him, although she didn't really know why she thought that.

But one thing she knew for sure; she felt comfortable. She had never felt saver or more comfortable before. Lindsay had lived in so many different apartments already. Usually those were the definition of luxury. Somehow Lindsay had never really been happy with it though. She assumed that it possibly had to do with the fact that all this luxury reminded her of the people who lived this kind of lifestyle; people she had never really liked, although she knew not all of them were the same.

She had always been afraid that one day her father would try to marry her to someone who came from the first class; an arrogant, rich man she would never be able to love. Someone like Katums, just without the criminal background. Someone who wouldn't want her to work in the job she was studying for; journalism.

But now everything had come differently. Now she was together with a man who truly loved her and who she loved as well, more than she had ever expected to love a person. Danny cared about her, he loved her and he was there for her when she needed him. It was something she had never experienced before and after her traumatic relationship with Daniel Katums, it was healing and wonderful for her.

Still smiling, Lindsay got up. She headed into the kitchen, finding the promised breakfast and coffee waiting for her. It was exactly what she needed before she'd got to her university again and later to meet her two friends, Stella and Jessica. Next to her plate, she found a little note. Carefully she took it into her hands, a smile lighting up her face when she read it.

_Dear Lindsay,_

_have a wonderful day. I'll see you later. I love you!_

_Danny_

It was just a small and short note, but it was enough to make her smile and cause her heart to beat faster. Once again this was a little gesture to show her how much he loved her. It was something Lindsay wasn't used to and she had to admit she couldn't get enough of it. She enjoyed how caring and gentle Danny was around her, how much he wanted to support her and make sure she knew how much she meant to him. Lindsay knew he wouldn't force her to be his housewife. He had already told her he'd support her with her study and couldn't wait to read his girlfriend's first article in the New York Times.

Still smiling, Lindsay sat down to enjoy the breakfast Danny had prepared for her. During her relationship with Katums she had told herself that for the case she would manage to break up this relationship, she'd stay away from men. Now she was glad she had given this new relationship a chance because it made her feel happy in a way she had never experienced before.

**Preview: Mac and Stella are giving advices for Danny and Lindsay.**


	3. Listen To Your Friends

**Author's note: Thanks for the sweet reviews! Also thanks to everyone for reading. In this chapter, Danny and Lindsay will have some conversation with Mac and Stella.**

**Thanks to afrozenheart412, Desiree1989, lily moonlight, Montana Angell, Smacked Hard and TiveFanGirl1 for all the support and for being awesome. ;) Also thanks to webdlfan, ah-dorably key-ute and CSIfan123 for reviewing the chapter before. Oh, and Montana Angell, there will be a new chapter in your inbox soon. :D Thanks for inspiring me.**

**Chapter 3: Listen To Your Friends**

"Are you alright?" Mac asked.

Danny, who had been deep in his thoughts for several minutes, snapped back to reality, looking at his boss in confusion. "Excuse me. What did you say?"

"I asked if you're okay," Mac repeated. "Since we left the office building, you're unusually quiet." The two men had left their office at noon and where now sitting on a bench in Central Park. It was warm and Mac had thought that after working on files for hours, they both deserved some fresh air. But since they had left the building, Danny had been quiet. Mac knew his colleague had to be thinking about something.

"Oh, of course," Danny answered. "I was just...thinking. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Mac wanted to know. "Danny, sometimes it helps to talk about what's bothering you."

"Says the right one," Danny replied, but then instantly blushed. "I'm sorry, boss. I didn't mean it like that. Sorry."

To his relief, Mac smiled at him. "See, I know what I'm talking about. I know it's not easy to talk about things that bother you. I also didn't like to talk about Claire, but when I did it, it helped me."

Danny sighed. "But what happened with Claire is something completely different. It was important you talked to someone about it. I'm just worried about something, that's all. I can handle that."

"You could make it easier with talking about it though," Mac suggested.

Danny looked back at his boss for a moment, wondering what to do. He knew Mac wouldn't stop questioning him until he would start talking. Also he wondered if maybe his boss wasn't that wrong with his opinion; sometimes it indeed helped to talk.

"It's because of Lindsay," he said then. "She's still having nightmares. But until now she avoided to talk to me about what exactly she's dreaming about. Or about how Katums really treated her. I don't know why she doesn't just talk to me."

"Maybe she doesn't do it because of the same reasons why you don't want to talk," Mac answered. "Maybe she just isn't ready to talk about her relationship with him yet. Or about the nightmares."

"I know," Danny replied. "I know she needs time, I know it's not easy for her to talk about what has happened to her. I saw this man and I can imagine how cruel he was. But...it's driving me crazy I don't know how exactly he treated her. And that I can't really help her."

"I can understand it's difficult that you can't do much for her, especially when she doesn't want to talk," Mac said. "But be honest; do you really want to know every detail of what happened? Do you want to torture yourself with stories about what he did to her? Knowing you you'll have the wish to go straight to his prison and kill him. Or at least beat him up."

"Possible," Danny agreed, shrugging. "But not knowing anything isn't good either, you know?" He shook his head. "I just wish she would trust in me enough to let me in."

"I don't think this has anything to do with trust, Danny," Mac told him. "She trusts in you, otherwise she wouldn't be together with you. I know it's not easy, but you have to wait and give her the time she needs until she's ready to let you in and talk to you. I don't think it has anything to do with you as a person. It's more because of the fact that she isn't ready to vocalize her feelings yet."

Danny looked at his boss, thinking about his answer. Deep inside he knew Mac was right. He loved Lindsay and all he wanted was her feeling better. He wished he knew more, wished he could do more. But possibly Mac was right; he had to wait and see.

While Danny took a deep sip from his coffee, Mac turned his attention to the newspaper he had bought. The two men were silent for a couple of minutes.

"Did you already think about who you'll vote for?" Mac asked then.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Danny looked at his boss in confusion. "What?"

"I'm talking about voting. You know, for the next president," Mac explained.

"Oh, that," Danny replied. "I don't think I'll go and vote."

Mac raised his eyebrows. "And why not? Don't you care about who'll be our next president?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't think anyone cares about my opinion, Mac."

"And if everyone would think like you? No one would vote," Mac told him, shaking his head at his younger friend. "You always complain it's the rich guys who decide. Now you have a voice and you don't want to use it?"

Looking at Mac, seeing the determination in the other man's eyes, Danny released another sigh. "Okay, Mac. I will think about it. But for now I have other things in my mind."

Mac nodded. "I understand. If I was you I wouldn't worry too much though. She will come and talk to you, believe me."

"I know you're right," Danny replied. With a light smile he added, "Like always." Then he turned his attention back to his coffee.

--------

"Are you alright?" Stella's voice asked, interrupting Lindsay in her thoughts.

"What? Oh, sure," Lindsay answered, instantly blushing. She knew this answer had been unnecessary. Stella knew it was a lie; she could read her like a book. The look she gave her already said more than words. And instead of sticking to her answer, Lindsay sighed and changed it, "It's just that I had nightmares again. That's all."

Stella nodded, her expression instantly changing into a concerned one. "But at least you weren't alone?"

Blushing even more, Lindsay shook her head. She knew actually no one was supposed to know she spent the nights at her boyfriend's place, even though there wasn't going to happen anything, but Stella somehow knew it anyways. "No. Danny was there to comfort me, but...well, that's the problem."

Stella raised her eyebrows lightly in surprise. "A problem? Why is that a problem?"

Lindsay sighed lightly. "I don't want to bother him with that. It was my mistake I was together with this man. I have to deal with that, I don't want to involve him." When she saw the almost shocked look Stella gave her, she added, "What?"

"I'm sorry, but...you aren't really thinking that it's your fault what this man did to you?" Stella asked shocked. When she saw how Lindsay blushed more and more, she continued, "Oh, please! Lindsay, what he did was wrong! This man is cruel. That's why he's in prison now. Nothing that happened was your fault. And don't say you don't want Danny to get involved. This man loves you so much and I'm sure he's already desperate because he doesn't know how to help you. You trust in him, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Lindsay answered with surprising determination in her voice.

"That's what I thought," Stella replied. "Then don't even think about apologizing. He wants to be there for you and I think it'd help you."

"Maybe," she said. "It's just..."

"No," Stella interrupted her, gently but firmly. "Trust in him. He's together with you for a reason. And believe me, opening up sometimes really helps."

Lindsay didn't know what to reply to that. She knew Stella wasn't wrong with what she was saying; she was together with Danny because the two of them loved each other. She also knew her boyfriend wanted nothing else but support her. She knew it wasn't easy to open up to him, but she would at least try it.

**Preview: Stella talks about a man she met. Jessica has a little secret only Lindsay knows about. And Danny has a stressful day.**


	4. Of Secrets And Love

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Thank you!!! You're so great, you know that? I'm so happy to know you like to read this story. It's really a challenge for me to write it and it's so much fun as well.**

**Huge thanks to TivaFanGirl1, afrozenheart412, ah-dorably key-ute, Montana Angell (new chapter is in the inbox soon), lily moonlight, Desiree1989, ImaSupernaturalCSI (also thanks for the information, they're very helpful!), California-Italian and SMacked Hard. And thanks to everyone for reading and for adding the story!**

**Chapter 4: Of Secrets And Love**

"So, what about you, Stella?" Lindsay said then to change the topic. She was grateful for Stella's advices, but sometimes it was getting too much for her. Lindsay had to admit she was a little stubborn lately. Since she could think, she had been dominated, first by her mother, later by her father, then by Katums. She had promised herself to never be in this role again, which caused her to push people away when they tried to tell her what to do. Which could be good from time to time but also not good when it came to good advices.

For now she had enough of talking about herself and her relationship to Danny though. She knew she had to open up to him, but it needed time. It wasn't because of the trust; she trusted in him, more than in anyone else. Still it wasn't easy to let him in so much. Same counted for Stella. And so a change of topic was very welcome to her.

"What about me?" Stella asked, taking a sip from her coffee.

"You told me you met a nice man when we met the last time," Lindsay said.

"Oh, a nice man? Stella, is that true?" Jessica asked. The waitress had just arrived at her two friends' table again, carrying another round of coffees for the two women.

Stella blushed lightly, the smile on her face revealing she liked the topic though. Pointing at the empty chair at the table, she answered, "Sit down, Jessica. Maybe I might tell the two of you more then."

Jessica looked at the chair, hesitating. "I don't think I should do something like that during work. If Dad finds out..."

"He won't find out anything," Lindsay told her. "Look, the café is almost empty. And we for sure won't say a word. Also you're up for so many hours already. Allow yourself a little break."

Jessica hesitated for another moment before she shrugged and sat down as well. "But you don't say a word about this," she said like all the times before when the three women had met in the café Jessica was working at. The little café, owned by Jessica's father, was their favourite place to meet; it was small, it was quiet and just perfect to meet and chat. "So, Stella, tell us more about this man."

Stella smiled at the curious expressions on her two friends' faces. The three friends loved conversations like that. She still couldn't believe that she and Jessica hadn't had any idea that Lindsay was together with Danny until they had announced it officially, but this had possibly happened because they had been too busy with convincing her to leave Katums and ask for protection. Which she had done they had found out and which had led to something both women had been very excited about.

"Like I already said, I met him in Central Park," she started. "I was going for a walk, enjoying the wonderful weather and getting myself inspired for my new collection when I suddenly saw him. I don't remember exactly how he caught my attention. He was sitting on one of the benches, reading a newspaper. It almost seemed like he had forgotten everything else around him. At first I thought I should just keep on walking, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, and so I decided to join him on his bench."

"Oh, you just joined him?" Lindsay asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "That was a big move. Then again I never saw you as a shy person."

Stella's smile widened lightly. "I don't know why exactly I did it, but I just had to follow my instinct. I knew it wasn't a mistake when he glanced up at me and smiled. I asked him if there was anything interesting in the newspaper and so we started to talk."

"Because of a coincidence and because of a newspaper," Jessica summed it up. "That's just romantic." She blushed lightly when she saw the knowing look Lindsay gave her.

"Yes, it was," Stella agreed. "Could the two of you excuse me for a moment? I'll just head to the bathroom."

"Of course," the two women answered.

After Stella had left, Jessica turned her attention back to Lindsay. She could see the glance from earlier was still there, so she quickly tried to get the topic back to Stella and her mysterious man.

"Isn't that wonderful? That she met someone because of a coincidence like that? It's so romantic," she said.

Lindsay raised her eyebrows lightly. "Yes, it is romantic. But for sure you know how it feels to fall in love, don't you?"

Jessica couldn't help but blush again a bit. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Smiling amused, Lindsay shook her head. "You know it. Danny and I know you and Don good enough to see what's happening between the two of you."

Jessica blushed even more. "There is nothing happening between Don and me. Yes, he often comes here, so do a lot of other customers. And he's a friend. Just like your Danny is a friend as well."

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe that at all," Lindsay replied, chuckling at Jessica's attempts at finding excuses. More than once she and Danny had been at the café together with Don while Jessica had been working. The couple had watched their two friends and neither of them had had a doubt that they were seriously interested into each other.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about what kind of friendship the two of you have?" Lindsay tried again.

Jessica looked back at her, for a moment thinking about another excuse. She knew her friend was well aware of what her relationship to a certain policeman meant to her. Also she didn't like to lie at her, so she changed her mind and simply answered, "Not yet. In a while maybe, but not yet, please."

Lindsay nodded understanding. "Just come to me when you want to talk."

The two women just finished the conversation in time when Stella returned from the bathroom. She had barely sat down when the full attention was resting on her again.

"Now tell us, what else should we know about this man?" Lindsay wanted to know. "What's his name?"

"The two of you aren't curious, are you?" Stella replied. "Alright. His name is Mac Taylor. He's working as a private investigator."

Lindsay's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You're talking about Mac Taylor?"

Stella nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"Mac Taylor is Danny's boss," Lindsay answered. "That's really a coincidence."

"Maybe this gives you the chance to meet him more often," Jessica suggested. "Maybe we could all arrange a party or something like that and he'd be invited as well. I mean, you want to meet him again, don't you?"

A smile lit Stella's face at the idea. "Of course I would love to meet him again. This would definitely be a nice way to meet him again, without pushing him. You know...most men unfortunately don't like it when it's the lady who makes the first steps."

"But a party would be a nice excuse to invite him, that's true. I'm sure if Danny asks him to come, he'll say yes," Lindsay agreed, smiling as well. She was impressed by all those coincidences. Obviously all of her friends seemed to have some kind of connection. Although Jessica refused to talk about it, she knew she and Flack were much closed than she would admit. And Stella and Mac Taylor? She couldn't help but think the two would make a wonderful couple. If they got the chance to meet again. But this wouldn't be a problem for them.

---------

It was late when Danny arrived at his apartment again. He was stressed and exhausted and all he wanted to do was simply lying down in bed with Lindsay, ignoring the world around them. His entire body was aching, his head was hurting and he could barely keep his eyes open. This hadn't been one of his favourite days. Danny had to admit though that he was glad to not come home to an empty apartment with no one in it. He had a loving girlfriend who awaited him. Quickly he opened the entrance door to his apartment building, sighing in relief when he could leave the cold of the night and the dusky smell of the city behind, smiling at the prospect of another shared evening with his beloved girlfriend.

When he entered his apartment, he tossed his keys onto the small cupboard next to the door after locking the door securely. He knew although Lindsay would never admit it, she was still scared someone could try to break into their apartment again.

Their apartment. Danny knew that for Lindsay this place had become more her home than her own place had ever been. He still didn't know why she preferred living with him there instead of at her own, much bigger and possibly nicer apartment. Obviously she loved his place for some reason. But he wasn't sure if Dr. Hammerback was seeing it the same way.

"Lindsay, I'm home!" he shouted while making his way through the small kitchen to the bedroom. As delicious as dinner she had cooked for him smelled, he could barely keep himself on standing and so simply collapsed onto his bed.

"Hey," Lindsay greeted him when she left the bathroom, finding him spread over the bed. "Are you alright? You look like you had a hard day."

Despite his tiredness, Danny had to smile at her loving words. He saw her walking over to him, lying down on the bed next to him. Seeing her so close, only dressed in this short, thin dress, he felt the urge to just grab her. But he resisted this urge.

It wouldn't be the first time they'd made love. Actually this was even how everything had started. Danny felt himself blush lightly when he recalled how he and Lindsay had slept with each other in his office. The passion between them had been so overwhelming, so intense neither of them had cared about any rules. All that had matter was that they could be close; as close as possible, giving each other the warmth both of them had been longing for for so long. Today he wasn't surprised they had fallen in love so quickly. They were meant to be together; he knew it for sure.

Now, after they had gotten together officially and especially since her father knew about their relationship, he was more careful, more hesitant. Actually she wasn't allowed to be intimate with a man before she wasn't married, right? This wasn't a topic anymore of course, but still. He didn't want to make a mistake and he was already grateful for the heated kisses he got from her. Although he knew he'd have a hard time to wait until they'd marry to touch her again. If she wanted to marry him of course. Although if he was honest he didn't have a doubt they would do exactly that somewhere along the line.

With all those thoughts suddenly running through his mind, Danny almost forgot he had been asked a question by her. A look in her beautiful eyes though revealed she was waiting for him to speak.

"I'm fine," he lied. When he saw the look she gave him, he sighed lightly and added, "Alright, I'm a bit annoyed. This wasn't my favourite day at work."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, gently running her hand through his hair, causing light shivers to run down his back.

"Not now," he answered. "Also I'm not hungry right now. But...well, being close to you is already nice enough."

Smiling at him warmly, Lindsay moved closer, allowing Danny to snuggle into her arms. He still didn't really understand why she had chosen him. But he also didn't really care. This woman loved him, and he loved her as well. There was no need to ask questions.

**Preview: Lindsay surprises Danny with an invitation that makes him nervous. Can Flack and Jessica calm him down again?**


	5. Scary Dinner Parties

**Author's note: Wow, thanks again for all the lovely reviews! That's so wonderful! Huge thanks to Mynerva24, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, Montana Angell, pretty7, ImaSupernaturalCSI, Desiree1989, SMacked Hard and California-Italian****! I'm really having a lot of fun with this story and so it'll go on for a while. I've planned a couple of storylines for all of the characters and for the different pairings. I hope you'll like them. :) Also if you like AU fics, check out 'A Victorian Love Story' by Aubrey212 and 'Love in the Time of Depression' by SistersByDestiny!**

**Again, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing this story here! It means a lot to me, especially because writing this fic seems to be my newest hobby. lol  
**

**Chapter 5: Scary Dinner Parties**

Waking up the next morning, Danny was instantly greeted by the bright sunlight finding its way into the bedroom of his apartment. Obviously he had forgotten to close the curtains in front of the dusky windows. Not that he'd complain. Being woken up by sunshine was definitely better than being woken up by rain and thunder. Especially when a certain someone was cuddling against him.

With a smile on his face, Danny looked downwards at Lindsay, whose arms were tightly wrapped around his chest. She looked peaceful and relaxed; obviously she hadn't had any nightmares during the night. Expecting that she was over them was too early though, so much he knew. There had been a couple of nights where she hadn't been woken up by any nightmares, but sooner or later they'd return. He just hoped that the next time this would happen, she would talk to him about them.

Throwing a short glance at his watch which was lying on his bedside table, Danny noticed there was still enough time left for some extra time in bed. Turning his attention back to Lindsay, he started to rub her back gently. Usually this wasn't enough to make her wake up, but this time she almost instantly stirred at his loving touch. Squeezing her eyes shut a bit more, she snuggled closer against him, releasing a soft sigh.

Watching his now half asleep girlfriend warmed his heart. Although they were together for a while now, Danny still couldn't believe it completely. The woman in his arms meant so much to him. Not long ago he had never expected himself to fall in love, especially not with a woman from an upper class, a famous doctor's daughter.

With a smile Danny remembered what his boss Mac had told him a long while ago. That it would happen to him as well. When he had asked what Mac was talking about, the older man had smiled and answered love would happen to him. Danny hadn't believed him for a second back then. He just had never seen himself as someone who could fall in love. He was someone who liked to be around women of course; which man wouldn't? But love, wanting to be around the same woman all day, ready to do everything for her to protect her and make her happy? No, this just didn't fit to him in his eyes.

Now his opinion had changed completely. He had fallen in love with a former client, a woman from New York's upper class, and what he was experiencing with her was something that was so amazing, so intense he had no problem with admitting that once again his boss had been right. He was willing to do everything for this woman and he had already proven that.

Danny couldn't deny he had been wondering if he was the right guy for her. But more than once Lindsay had shown him that all she wanted was him. There were still fears, especially when it came to her and her father. He knew Dr. Sid Hammerback liked him, especially after he had managed to send his daughter's abusive ex-fiancé into prison. Still he waited for the moment the man would tell him he wasn't good enough for her.

"What are you thinking about?" a soft female voice interrupted him in his thoughts. Glancing down at Lindsay again, Danny found her looking up at him now. She was lying on her stomach, half on his chest, watching him with her tired but still sparkling brown eyes. Those eyes he had fallen in love with the first moment he had seen her.

"Oh, nothing special," he answered, hoping he wasn't blushing. He couldn't tell her what exactly he had been thinking about. He knew what she'd answer in response; that her father thought he was a great man, that he liked him and that she didn't care about people's opinion about them anyway. Also he didn't want to discuss this topic now. "I was just thinking about how happy I am that we're together."

Lindsay smiled warmly. "I'm happy about that as well." She moved closer and placed a soft kiss onto his lips. The moment their lips met in this feather-light contact, Danny felt himself shivering lightly. She always had this affect on him.

Using his self-control to resist the urge to go further became harder and harder the longer they were together. He wondered if the fact that actually he already knew how else the two of them could make each other feel was making it even worse. But as much as he wanted to be more intimate with her, he wanted to be careful. He was determined to give them some time before he'd allow them to go further.

This time though there was no need to make a step backwards and away from her to prevent them from intensifying the tension between them. She just kissed him briefly and softly before she pulled back and watched him again, still with this warm smile on her face. From the look in her eyes he could tell there was something she wanted to say though.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?" she asked back, giving him a confused look.

Smiling, Danny bent forward to kiss her nose before he answered, "I can feel you want to ask me something. So what is it?"

"Oh, nothing special," Lindsay replied, anyway blushing lightly. "It's just...my father is giving a dinner party next weekend and he'd like us to come as well."

Danny nodded. "And what did you say?"

Lindsay blushed even more. "Well...I said I'd ask you..."

"But you said you'd be sure we'd come, right?" he continued for her.

With a bright red face now, she nodded. "I'm sorry, I should have asked you first."

"No, it's fine," Danny answered, fighting back the uncomfortable feeling that was rising inside him already. "So...who'll else come? Your father, you, me..."

"And some of his friends," she told him.

Again Danny nodded. "Means..."

"All those rich, important people you don't like," this time she completed the sentence for him, sighing lightly. "If you have such a problem with them why do you work for them then?"

"Because that's what Mac wants me to do," Danny answered honestly.

"And did you think about me like that as well when you saw me for the first time?" she wanted to know. From the sound of her voice he could tell she was hurt lightly. They barely had those conversations, but while he had problems with being around people like her father, the reserved upper class of New York, all dressed up, showing they earned more in a week than he did in a year, paying much attention to very polite behaviour and liking to have mates who made life easier for them, she possibly felt like he had a problem with her as well. Not all of them acted the same way and after all they were the ones who paid his salary, still he tried to avoid them.

"Of course not. You're different," Danny told her. "Lindsay, I didn't mean it like that. The problem is...I'm just nervous, alright? I'm nervous about what they might think about me. I'm not good with this extremely polite talk, chatting about politics and things like that, and telling servants to fill my glass for me again. I'm just not like them and I'm afraid of what they'll think of someone like me. I don't even know all this stuff like why you have to have loads of different folks and knives for dinner."

To his relief he saw how an amused smile lit her face at his answer. "Well, you're not alone. I can tell you what they're for. And I'm sure everyone will like you. You're a friendly and nice person. No one will have a problem with you. I love you and I don't think anyone has the right to say anything bad about you. Or even think something bad about you. I don't want you to be like them, I don't want a reserved, polite business man who has nothing else to talk about but what is happening at the Wall Street, how great his factory is doing and how much he spent for the suit he's wearing." Kissing him again, she asked, "So, can I tell my father that we'll come to his dinner party?"

Danny looked into her eyes, finding her excitedly waiting for his answer. He sighed deeply before he nodded. "Yes, of course."

A bright grin lit her face when she closed her arms around him, kissed him again and answered, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Danny replied. At least he had made her happy with his answer.

---------

"So you're going to meet the mighty Daddy again?" Flack asked, leaning back in his chair while laughing at his friend. "Oh, come on, Danny. You met him already and back then you weren't even allowed to show him you were together with his daughter. The man is grateful because you helped him. I don't think there is a need to feel uncomfortable."

"Yeah, you can say that easily," Danny growled back, resting his arms on the table. "You don't have to go to this dinner party. And stop laughing, I'm not going to entertain the other guests in here."

"Oh, but I wouldn't worry too much. Dr. Hammerback seems to be a really nice man," Jessica said when she arrived at the men's table, holding her small notebook in her hands to write down their orders. "He was here a few times and he's very friendly."

"See?" Flack said, giving Jessica a smile and a wink that made her blush. "Listen to my favourite waitress. She's always right."

Jessica blushed even more. "Well...from what I know he's friendly and from what Lindsay told me he really likes you. So...what can I do for you?" To Flack, she added, "Coffee, like always?"

"Yes, please," he answered, his smile widening. "You're the best, Jessica. Two black coffee, please. I think Danny needs something to calm down again."

Nodding, Jessica smiled back and winked at him when she was sure Danny didn't pay attention. With a broad grin Flack watched her leaving again before he turned his attention back to his best friend.

"Seriously, man, I wouldn't worry," he said.

Danny sighed deeply. "And what am I supposed to talk about?"

"What about the news everyone is talking about? We're going to have a new president soon," Flack suggested, but Danny shook his head. "But better don't say things like you hope the next president might cause the end of prohibition so we can go and have a beer in the pubs again or something like that. Might be a bit inappropriate."

"I don't even know if I'll vote," he said. When he saw the look Flack gave him, he added, "Don't look at me like that. Mac already told me to vote and use my voice to change something. But I'm just not in this whole politic stuff."

Flack laughed. "Oh, come on, your boss isn't either. Still it took us all long enough to get the right to vote as well, not just those rich people you love so much. Speaking about them, it's not like you're going to be alone at this dinner party. You're with your girlfriend who loves you."

"Yeah, and what if they start making me look like an idiot?" Danny asked back. "I'm even scared of how I'll behave during dinner. You need to know more than what your mother taught you as a kid."

"Then if you're that afraid, I'd ask your beloved girlfriend for some 'how to behave during a dinner party' lessons," Flack suggested.

"And if you need help, you can also ask me," Jessica added, returning with the two coffees. "When it comes to dinner and how to eat certain food or which dishes to use how and when, I can help you."

While Flack gave her his best smile again, Danny looked at her surprised. "You'd help me with that?"

She nodded. "Of course. I know Lindsay and how happy she'll be when you come with her to this dinner party. Also she doesn't want you to be nervous. I'll show you how to behave during dinner, maybe your boss can tell you what to wear and Lindsay can tell you if there are any special ways to behave."

"To me that sounds like a great plan," Flack said, nodding impressed which caused Jessica to smile as well.

Danny sighed again, but now looked at least a bit more relieved. "I can't believe I'm doing that. I'm feeling like I'm a little boy again."

"That's what you do when you love someone," was Flack's simple answer.

Danny had to admit his best friend was right. His love for Lindsay was what made him do this, what made him go and meet people he'd never even think about meeting outside of work. He was glad he had some help though, people who'd prepare him for this in his eyes important dinner party.

**Preview: Lindsay, Stella and Jessica have a little meeting again and talk about the dinner party. Also Mac has some advices for Danny again.**


	6. Good Friends And Good Advices

**Author's note: Wow, you guys are so great, you know that? Do you know how happy you make me with all those sweet reviews? It's the first time I'm writing a fic with three pairings and so many chapters and I'm so happy you like it. Huge thanks to afrozenheart412, ah-dorably key-ute, Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, SMacked Hard, California-Italian, Montana Angell, lily moonlight and ImaSupernaturalCSI for the lovely reviews!**

**I've been writing a lot for this fic lately, and I can already promise there will be a couple of scenes for all pairing. Also I will work on some background storylines for all of them. Like we'll learn more about Danny's past. We'll find out where Lindsay's mother is. We'll see why Jessica has problems with her father. And we'll see why Mac is so hesitant to fall in love again. You'll see more of that in the following chapters.**

**Chapter 6: Good Friends And Good Advices**

When Lindsay walked through the front door of her apartment, she sighed lightly. This was her place; her father had bought it for her. It wasn't the apartment she had lived in together with Katums after they had been engaged. This place had also been supposed to be hers, but Katums had been there almost every day. He had also beaten her up there a couple of times. There had been no way for her to move back into this apartment, so her father had sold it and bought a new one for her.

But although Lindsay was supposed to stay at this place, especially at night, she didn't want to. She didn't really know what her problem was, but she just didn't feel at home. She didn't know if her father would be pleased when he found out she slept at Danny's place every night, but if she was completely honest, she didn't care. After all no one would go to his place and seriously check if she was there over the night or not.

For Lindsay, Danny's apartment was her home. She wouldn't have a problem with moving in there with him when they had gotten married one day. For the case he ever wanted to marry her of course. Of course she found that her apartment looked nice as well and it was big, that was for sure. But it just didn't feel like home. It looked pretty with all the marble, all the expensive furniture, but it didn't have this special something Danny's place had. It was like his personality was sticking in every corner of his place. She loved his personality and so it possibly was no surprise she also loved his place.

But this afternoon she wanted to meet Stella and Jessica. Not that she couldn't have met them at his place as well. Her two friends didn't know she spent almost every free minute at her boyfriend's place though and so she had simply decided to keep it like that and invite them over to hers.

While she was making tea for the two women and was looking for what else she had bought when she had gone shopping earlier, she remembered the conversation she and Danny had had in the morning. When her father had asked her if she wanted to come to his dinner party with Danny, she had instinctively agreed to come. Then she had realised that possibly her quick decision hadn't been a good idea. A dinner party with her father's friends? Although he had never said it, she knew he didn't really like to be around her father already, although Sid Hammerback liked Danny a lot. Being around his friends who didn't know him at all? She could imagine he possibly wouldn't like that.

And she had been right. Danny hadn't said too much about her suggestion, but she had seen it in his eyes; he wasn't really amused. Anyway he had agreed to go with her. The fact that obviously he was doing that for her had warmed her heart. Now she hoped he wouldn't feel uncomfortable while doing something sweet like this for her.

Around half an hour later, her two friends arrived at her apartment. Stella and Jessica had been there a couple of times already; when the three women didn't meet in the small café Jessica was working at, they took turns with meeting at their own places. Anyway the women never got enough of giving her impressed looks.

"What a beautiful place," Stella said once again. "Not that I'm jealous, but...okay, maybe I am a little bit jealous."

Lindsay laughed. She knew her friend wasn't jealous at all. What her friend didn't know though was that if Stella asked her to sell this apartment to her, she wouldn't have a problem to do it. She'd even go so far and give it to her as a present if this meant she could move in with Danny. But at the moment it was to early for that.

"So, Stella," she said then when she returned back into the living room, carrying the teapot, cups and plates with cake. "Is there anything new you can tell us about Mr. Taylor and you?"

"Oh, right. Did you meet him again?" Jessica wanted to know.

Stella smiled and if the two women weren't completely wrong, they could see her blush a bit. "No, unfortunately I didn't meet him again," she answered. "I've been in the park a couple of times, but he wasn't there."

"Meeting him again shouldn't be a problem," Lindsay replied. "Next time I'll go and visit Danny at work, you can just come with me. I'll ask him when Mr. Taylor is at his office as well and you can come with me."

A smile immediately lit Stella's face. "That's a wonderful idea. Thank you!"

"Speaking about Danny," Jessica said then. "He and Don Flack were at the café today and I heard your father invited the two of you for a dinner party?"

Lindsay couldn't help the insecurity that instantly started to rise inside her. He had been talking about this dinner party with Flack? She could be certain the conversation had been different from the one the two of them had had in the morning.

"So? And...what did he say?" she asked, trying to hide the unsure tone of her voice.

Jessica chuckled. "I think he is pretty nervous because of it."

"Wait a minute; your Dad invited you and Danny for a dinner party?" Stella asked. She hadn't heard about this information yet.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. He's giving a dinner party next weekend and he asked me if Danny and I could come as well."

"And what did he say?" Stella wanted to know. Both, she and Jessica knew that Danny still felt uncomfortable around Dr. Hammerback. They could imagine that a meeting like this wasn't something he'd be really happy about.

"He said he'll come with me. But...I think he doesn't really want it, to be honest," Lindsay answered, sighing lightly.

"I wouldn't say he doesn't want it," Jessica told her. "He's very nervous, that's true. But this has nothing to do with not wanting to go to this dinner party with you." She stopped briefly, hesitating if she should add more. The insecure look her friend was giving her though encouraged her to go on. "I think he's afraid someone could think something bad of him. That he might embarrass the two of you. Especially because your father is there as well."

"But my father really likes him," Lindsay answered. "He told him that a couple of times. Why should he suddenly have a problem with him? Also I don't think he'll embarrass himself or me in front of them."

"That's what we told him as well," Jessica said. "I also offered him to tell him how to behave during dinner and that his boss could possibly give him a suit or something, for the case he doesn't have one himself."

"Oh, if he needs a suit, I could make one for him," Stella suggested.

Lindsay smiled at her friends. This was what she loved about the two women; they always where there, offering help. She was happy Jessica and Flack had talked to Danny and had tried to calm him down and especially that Jessica was going to teach him about having dinner and that Stella was going to have a look for a suit.

"Thank you," she said then. "But...don't you think that...maybe I'm excepting too much? If he's so nervous, maybe I should tell him it's alright if he wants to stay at home."

"No, of course you're not expecting too much," Stella answered. "Of course he's nervous. That's normal. It's going to be fine, especially when he's prepared."

"I don't have a doubt it's going to be fine," Lindsay replied. "I just wish he wouldn't think he could cause problems for us. I know they'll love him, and even if they don't, I don't care."

"That's true love," Jessica sighed, smiling at her friend. When Lindsay looked back at her, raising her eyebrows lightly, giving her a knowing smile, she quickly added, "I think he'll like the dinner party, don't worry about that."

She nodded. "I hope so."

--------

Sighing lightly, Danny stared at the stick of files in front of him. He was working for hours now. Still the stick seemed to be the same height. To top this, Danny also couldn't really concentrate. His mind was spinning, his thoughts still drifting away to the dinner party he and Lindsay were invited to. It wasn't like he had a big problem with that. Going out with his beloved girlfriend was something he was looking forward to. But he was nervous.

"Are you alright?" The voice of his boss made Danny snap out of his thoughts again. Looking up, he found Mac standing in the doorway of his office.

"Yeah, sure, just thinking," Danny answered.

"May I ask about what?" Mac asked. Danny noticed his boss was smiling; something he had seen a couple of times lately. It wasn't like Mac never smiled; he did. But lately he wasn't as serious as usually, but much more relaxed.

"Lindsay and I are invited for a dinner party next weekend," he said then. "Her father wants us to come."

"Oh, but those are actually good news if you ask me," Mac replied.

Danny nodded. "Of course. It's just...I'm not good with those...events, you know? I've never been to such kind of dinner parties. And I really don't want to mess up."

"I don't think you will, Danny," Mac told him. "She loves you and you love her. Dr. Hammerback likes you as well. There is no need to worry."

Danny chuckled. "Thanks, Mac. A very optimistic opinion. But...don't get me wrong, but did something special happen?"

"No, why?" Mac asked back.

"Oh, I just noticed you're in a very good mood lately. Did you meet a woman maybe?" Danny asked. When he saw the look his boss gave him, he quickly added, "I'm sorry, Mac. I shouldn't have asked that."

Mac laughed. "It's okay. And to answer your question- yes, maybe I really met someone."

"Really?" Danny raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "Do you want to tell me more?"

"Later maybe," Mac replied. "Now go back to work and finish your files."

"Sure, boss," Danny said.

While Mac left the office again, he turned his attention back to the stick of files. Danny knew he shouldn't be nervous. The dinner party with Lindsay would be nice. Especially with the support of his friends. Still he knew he could tell himself over and over again he should stay calm and relaxed; he was nervous and would possibly be all the time. He wanted to do everything right, wanted his girlfriend and her father to be proud of him and he was determined to show himself from his best side.

**Preview: Like promised, Lindsay and Stella visit Danny and Mac at work. What will happen?**


	7. Supportive Friends And Finding Love

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all the lovely and sweet reviews! And thanks to everyone for reading this fic. Special thanks to lily moonlight, afrozenheart412, talkstoangels77, Montana Angell, SMacked Hard, ah-dorably key-ute, Desiree1989, ImaSupernaturalCSI and Hylen! There's another AU fic I'd like to recommend; 'Big Sky Country' by RoseBrina!**

**Chapter 7: Supportive Friends And Finding Love **

It was already far after midday when Lindsay and Stella arrived at the office building Danny and Mac worked in. Like promised, Lindsay had taken her friend with her. It often happened that she visited Danny at work. She always found another excuse for doing that; either she was bored, or she had cooked something and wanted to make sure he got something to eat or she had just coincidentally been around. The truth was she just wanted to see him.

Now the two women were walking up to the right floor and Lindsay had to bite her tongue to not laugh about the expression on her friend's face.

"Stella, do you want to tell me you're nervous?" Lindsay asked, looking at her friend in disbelief. "I've never seen you nervous before. At least not nervous like that."

Despite herself, Stella started to blush. "I'm not nervous. I'm just...excited. I'm excited because it's a while since I saw Mr. Taylor for the last time and it was a nice conversation we had. I'm looking forward to meeting him again."

"And you're nervous about this meeting," Lindsay added, winking at her friend. "There is nothing wrong with you being nervous."

Stella looked back at her, thinking about contradicting for a moment. Then she only sighed in response. "Alright, maybe you're right. Let's just hope Mr. Taylor doesn't notice I'm nervous."

"I'm sure he won't," Lindsay answered, giving her friend a supportive smile. Of course she couldn't tell Stella that according to Danny, Mac sensed everything. He instantly noticed when someone was nervous; something he had learnt in his job over the years. Danny said there was no way anyone could get away with a lie and he still was confused why Mac hadn't found out about their relationship earlier. His suspicion was that his boss had always known the couple had been together but had refused to interfere for some reason.

The two women arrived at the door of Danny's office. They stopped in front of it, hearing the sound of two voices inside the room. A smile lit Lindsay's face at the sound of Mac and Danny talking. This was even better than expected; both men in the same room.

"Maybe we should come back on another day," Stella suggested, already heading back towards the stairs. "It sounds like the two of them are busy in there."

But before Stella could disappear again, Lindsay grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards the office door.

"Stella," she whispered. "Since when are you shy? You're never shy. I met Mr. Taylor a few times and he seems to be a really nice man. He won't make any fun of you and I think according to what you told me, he seems to be interested in you." With a tiny wink she added, "Also Danny told me Mr. Taylor seems to be much happier and relaxed lately. Maybe the meeting with a certain someone has something to do with that?"

Despite herself, Stella blushed bright red. She usually never blushed. She also didn't know what had changed the moment she had seen Mac for the first time. This man had caught her attention though and she couldn't deny she was thinking about him a lot. He was the perfect gentleman, he was intelligent and friendly. She was excited to meet him again, even though she was very nervous now.

Lindsay knocked against the door lightly. The conversation inside stopped and Danny's voice told them to come in. With a smile, she opened the door, knowing exactly how nervous her friend had to be right now.

"Hey Danny, good afternoon Mr. Taylor," Lindsay greeted when they walked through the door. "I hope we don't disturb. I've made some sandwiches and thought you two would like to have some as well. I also thought I could use the chance to show Stella where my boyfriend works." Pointing at Stella, she said, "Danny, you met her already. Mr. Taylor, this is Stella Bonasera. Stella, this is Mac Taylor."

Satisfied Lindsay noticed the surprised look on Mac's face; a look that clearly revealed he was happy about the meeting. He had immediately recognized Stella, which was definitely a good sign. Stella was still slightly blushing, but she seemed to be a bit more confident now.

"I think we already met," Mac said. With a friendly smile, he offered Stella his hand. "Nice to meet you again, Miss Bonasera."

"Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Taylor," Stella greeted back, taking the hand he offered.

"Did you two already have your lunch break?" Lindsay asked, trying to hide the smile that was tearing at the corners of her mouth at the sight of Mac and Stella; the two most confident people she had ever met were indeed blushing lightly.

"Not yet," Danny answered.

Playfully shocked, Lindsay looked at him before she turned her attention to Mac. "Oh, really? Then it's good that Stella and I made sandwiches for you. And look outside, isn't the weather just perfect? Maybe we could go for a walk for a bit?"

With a big smile, she looked at Mac. Usually she never spoke so much with the other man. Mac was Danny's boss and somehow there was something about him that always made her nervous. Was it maybe the fact that this man seemed to be able to read people's minds? Possibly. Now, while having a clear target with arranging something between Mac and her best friend Stella, she suddenly didn't feel nervous at all anymore.

"I think that sounds like a great idea," Mac said then, much to her satisfaction. "After being in this building for half a day, some fresh air would possibly be nice. What do you say, Danny?"

"I think we should take the ladies for a walk," Danny answered with a side-glance at his girlfriend.

Lindsay had noticed the little glance, knowing exactly what he was thinking. He had realised she had a plan and to her relief he seemed to play it with her. Glancing at Stella, she found her friend still blushing. When their eyes met, she found excitement in them, also gratitude. A supportive smile lit Lindsay's face; she had seen Mac and Stella together for not even five minutes and already had noticed that there was something special between them. Now the two of them just had to notice that as well.

A few minutes later, the four had arrived at Central Park. The weather indeed was perfect for a little walk during lunch break. The sun was shining, it was warm, a light breeze was blowing. A smile was spread over Lindsay's face all the time. Mac and Stella were walking in front of her and Danny, while eating the sandwiches busy with talking. It hadn't taken them long to find a topic to discuss about and obviously they got along very well.

"Lindsay," Danny said, causing her to snap out of her observation. When she looked up at him, she found him glancing at her with raised eyebrows, trying hard to hold back his own grin. "I hope you know I'm aware of what you're trying to do here."

Although she knew it definitely, Lindsay couldn't help but blush. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No?" Danny shook his head at her. "The sandwiches, the walk..."

"But I already knew you'd be hungry and you'd forget to have lunch break again," Lindsay replied. "And the walk in the park? It's such a beautiful weather."

Danny released a little sigh. "Lindsay. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to arrange something between Mac and Stella. You want them to get together."

Lindsay stared at him, trying to fake a shocked expression. "What? No, I don't try to get people together. People have to handle that on their own."

"But this doesn't mean you can't push them a bit, right?" He winked at her, smiling. "This is also the reason why you told me to go to the Angell's café with Don more often."

Giving up on pretending she had nothing to do with all that, Lindsay shrugged. "It worked, didn't it? Now they only have to admit it." When Danny laughed, she added, "I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting my friends to be happy."

"Oh, I didn't say there is anything wrong with that," Danny answered. "I even have to say I'd be happy if Mac and Stella would work. Mac hasn't had any contact to any women since Claire."

Lindsay nodded. "And Stella really seems to be impressed by him. They would be perfect together."

"I agree with you," Danny admitted.

"So does that mean I'm allowed to continue pushing people a bit?" she wanted to know, smiling.

Laughing again, Danny nodded. "You seem to sense when people are perfect for each other. Like Mac and Stella. Or Don and Jessica. Or you and me."

Blushing lightly, Lindsay's smile widened a bit. "I take that as a yes then."

Together Danny and Lindsay continued following Mac and Stella through the park. Both happy realised that their two friends seemed to be very busy with their current conversation. Maybe again two people who were meant to be together had met.

**Preview: Mac is showing his supportive side again. Jessica and Flack share a little moment. And will Lindsay open up to Danny?**


	8. Trusting In Each Other

**Author's note: Huge thanks for all the lovely reviews and thanks to everyone who's reading this story! You know how to make me smile. ;) I'm still working on the characters' background storylines. I want all of them to have their own little storylines. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, lily moonlight, Desiree1989, California-Italian, sucker-4-SMacked, Hylen and Montana Angell for the sweet feedback!**

**Chapter 8: Trusting In Each Other**

It was around midday when Mac left his office; time for a little lunch break. Like most of the time, he was going to spend it together with his younger colleague again. When he headed over to Danny's office, he found the door of the young PI opened. Danny was sitting at his desk, his head resting in his palms. He sighed deeply, not about the file though, Mac assumed. Amused he watched his co-worker and friend for a moment before he knocked at the door to make his presence known.

"Oh, hello Mac," Danny greeted his boss, sitting up straight in his chair again. "Is it lunch break already?"

Amused smiling at him, Mac nodded. "Yes, but it looks like you're busy. A frustrating case?"

"Huh? No, why?" Danny asked back when he realised his boss had possibly been watching him. "Oh, you mean...no, it's just..."

"Everything okay?" Mac wanted to know. He sat down in the chair across of Danny's desk, opened the bag with the sandwiches he had bought before work and offered on to him.

"Yes, of course," Danny answered, not able to hold back the sigh that escaped him. He took one of the sandwiches, thanked Mac for it and leant back in his chair again.

"But?" Mac continued questioning. He knew Danny's first reaction always was to say he was fine. He still tried to convince him he didn't have a problem, even when it was obvious like that. But Mac also knew he only had to keep on asking and he'd be able to make his younger friend talk. Like always, he was successful.

"Have you ever been to a dinner party, Mac?" Danny wanted to know.

"Of course, a couple of times already," Mac answered. "Are you still worrying about that?"

Danny released a deep sigh. "All his friends will be there, and Dr. Hammerback himself. How am I supposed to not be worried? That's not funny, Mac!"

Mac had to control himself to not break out into laughter. Knowing Danny, he could clearly imagine the man's face the moment Lindsay had told him about the dinner party and that the two of them had been invited to it. Mac himself wasn't a fan of dinner parties, also not of spending too much time with people who mostly were his clients. Well paying clients though, so he didn't really have a chance. Obviously Danny didn't either, and this seemed to bother him.

"I will screw up. I so will screw up," Danny muttered then, shaking his head at himself. "I should have told her I can't do that."

"Then why didn't you tell her that?" Mac asked.

Danny looked at him with huge eyes. "You mean I should have told Lindsay I don't want to go to a dinner party with her because I'm scared of her father and his friends?"

Mac shrugged. "If that's the truth..."

Danny sighed again. "I don't even know it, Mac," he said. "I want to go with her. I think it would even be fine if only Dr. Hammerback and her were there. But...all those people...waiting for the poor guy to make a mistake..."

"I think that's a bit overdone," Mac interrupted him. "I don't think they'll wait for you to make a mistake. Which is what'll happen though when you're insecure like that. If you ask me, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"That's what Lindsay said as well," he replied, leaning back in his chair. "She and Jessica Angell even want to teach me all this dinner stuff tomorrow. You know? Why you need at least three folks for dinner and things like that." He blushed bright red. "And that's still not funny, Mac."

But the fact that the two women would teach him how to eat, mixed with his expression, was too much for Mac's self control. He broke out into laughter. "I'm sorry. But like I said, with all the help you'll be fine, that is for sure."

"Yes, and with the suit Stella Bonasera will make for me, I'll be even better," Danny answered, shaking his head at his boss. "Talking about Miss Bonasera, lunch break the day before was even better than usually, wasn't it?"

Now it was Mac's turn to blush. Danny was right; meeting Stella again after the short but very nice talk they had shared in Central Park had been a nice surprise. During their walk, he had discovered that the two of them had a lot in common; same opinions for example. It had been a fun and easy talk and he had enjoyed it. He would even admit that he was hoping to meet her again soon.

"I think we should go back to work now," he said then, getting up from his chair.

Danny couldn't help the grin that lit his face at the reaction of his boss. "Sure. Talk to you later."

Amused shaking his head, he turned his attention back to his file. Once again he was amazed by how perfectly Lindsay had managed to find two people who would make a great couple. Maybe he should suggest this would be a great job for her? She would surely have fun with a job like that.

Thinking about her, Danny felt his nervousness returning. This time only for a brief moment though. Mac was right; if he was honest to himself, he knew that. He should just wait and see what would happen at the dinner party.

--------

"You know, someone might catch us," Jessica said, halfheartedly trying to push Flack away, not really bothered when her attempt at making him step away from her failed. It was late, the café had already closed. It was one of those evenings where Jessica had to close the café and lock it. It was one of those evenings the two of them always used to spend some private time together.

"You think so?" Flack asked, looking around them. The large room with all the chairs and tables that usually was filled with guests, was empty, quiet and lonely now. No one was there, apart from the two of them, entangled in a tight embrace. Smirking he turned back to her. "Well, I don't know about you, but I don't see anyone around."

Before she could contradict, he kissed her again. Willingly she kissed him back until they were running out of breath. When they broke apart again, she hectically scanned the room, making sure the two of them were still alone. Flack chuckled amused.

"Don't worry, I will stop now." Gently he released her from his grip, winking at her.

"It's not like I want to stop," she replied, glad it was dark enough so he couldn't see her blush. "But...well, I have a long and busy day tomorrow."

Flack laughed, the sound making her shiver deliciously. "You mean because you have to teach Messer how to eat?"

"That's not funny, Don," she answered, smiling lightly as well, for a different reason though. "He's doing all this because he wants to make Lindsay happy. That's really a sweet gesture."

"Let me guess, and now you want me to go to a dinner party with you as well? Show you how well I can behave?" he asked back, winking at her.

Now it was Jessica's turn to laugh. "As long as you keep on visiting me after work, I'm already happy."

With that she closed her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

--------

It was the middle of the night when Lindsay woke up, scared and shivering after having yet another nightmare. Looking at the side of the bed next to her, she found Danny still asleep. At least this time she hadn't been screaming during her dream, hadn't woken him up.

Falling back asleep wasn't an option either though. Still shivering, freezing in the actually warm bedroom, she moved to get up. She wrapped herself into her bathing robe and left the bedroom to head into the living room. Briefly she let her eyes wander through the room, thinking about what she could do now. Then she walked over to one of the living room windows and sat down on the window sill. They had forgotten to close the curtains in front of it, so she had a free view at the street below.

Leaning her head against the cool, dusty window, she released a light sigh. There were no people in the street; the exact opposite to what she usually got to see. The city seemed to be almost peaceful. But inside of her it looked completely different.

When would she finally stop having nightmares? When would Katums finally be forgotten? She had no answers for those questions and it was hurting her. Always she had to have those nightmares, right when she thought everything was going great. She and Danny were happy and he even agreed to go to her father's dinner party with her. Stella seemed to have found a really nice man for herself and Jessica seemed to be happy with her relationship with Flack. Then why couldn't she just enjoy it? Why did this man still have to appear in her nightmares?

So deep in her thoughts, Lindsay almost jumped when she felt the gentle touch of a hand on her shoulder. Glancing up she found Danny standing next to her, looking at her concerned. He didn't say a word, just looked at her. It was enough to cause tears to rise in her eyes.

"Come here," he whispered, gently pulling her into his arms, letting her cry. Her arms closed around his waist tightly, she pressed herself against him as tightly as she could. He held her like this for several long minutes, his hands running up and down her back, his voice talking to her, low and calming.

"You know, Mac is a wise man," Danny said after a while when her crying had calmed down and he was sure she would listen to him again. "Whenever he finds me worrying about something, he tells me the best is to talk about whatever problem I have. I think he's right with that. Until now that always helped me. It's like with speaking it out, you can ban it out of your mind."

Carefully Danny loosened his grip around her, pulling her back so he could look her into the eyes. He didn't say more, but Lindsay knew what he wanted to tell her with that. Until now she had tried to suppress everything that reminded her of Katums, had tried to act like she had never known him. It didn't work. Maybe his boss was indeed right. Maybe she should just speak it out. She knew he would listen.

**Preview: Lindsay opens up to Danny and finally tells him about Katums.**


	9. Loving Support

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! :) Special thanks to lily moonlight, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, Desiree1989, Montana Angell and sucker-4-SMacked!**

**Please also check out 'Big Sky Country' by RoseBrina (lily moonlight and me)! I'm sure you'll like the fic as well. ;)  
**

**Chapter 9: Loving Support**

"Can I do something for you?" Danny asked softly, still holding Lindsay in a tight, comforting embrace. A moment like this they had experienced a lot of times before. Although Danny thought he might be able to sense what she needed when she had had yet another nightmare again, he would never get used to it. Seeing his frightened, crying girlfriend never failed to break his heart.

"Yes," she answered to his surprise. Without looking at him, she freed herself from his embrace and lay down in bed again. She wrapped her blanket around herself, with a nod signalling him to lie down next to her. He followed her request. Briefly he hesitated before he closed his arms around her from behind, gently pulling her against his chest. Her hands rested on his and she snuggled back against him, as close as she could.

"Can you just...listen to me?" she asked. Her voice wasn't much more than a whisper.

"Of course," Danny answered warmly. Gently he squeezed her hands, showing her she had his full attention. He could feel she was shivering lightly in his arms. It was one of those moments where Danny wished he had met her long time before Katums had been introduced to her. He would have never allowed this man to get near her in any way. He couldn't change the past though. All he could do was making it better in the future.

"I can't stop those nightmares," she said then and from the tone in her voice he could tell she was struggling with keeping her voice steady. "But...I have enough of him, okay? He's been torturing me enough in the past. I don't want to have anything to do with that anymore."

"I understand," Danny whispered into her hair. "I know this possibly won't help you, but he can't hurt you anymore. He's in prison, so are his companions."

"I know," Lindsay answered, swallowing hard to get rid of the lump in her throat. "I...don't really know why I can't just forget him. Those are things you don't want to think about."

"Of course not," Danny agreed. Releasing one hand from his grip around hers, he started to stroke through her curly hair. She was shivering more now and he was getting concerned. Usually she calmed down after a few minutes, but right now it rather seemed to get worse. "He's done a lot of stuff to you, didn't he?"

Sobbing lightly, Lindsay nodded. "He treated me like a slave. He was like that since the beginning. I told him I'd go to my father and tell him how he was treating me, but he said if I said a single word about it, he'd send his men after us."

Danny nodded quietly. When she had come to him for the first time, asking him for help, she had told him exactly that when he had asked her why she hadn't gone to her father, hadn't told him what the man was doing to her. Katums had known how to scare her and how to make her do what he wanted her to do.

"He treated me like a slave," she continued, her voice thick with tears. "Whenever he came home he...wanted me to be there, waiting for him. He wanted food to be in the oven and me...and me...willing to...be there for him. And when I didn't want to do what...he wanted me to do, he beat me up. Which was pretty often."

Listening to what she was telling him about her past relationship with this brutal man, Danny started to understand what Mac had been talking about when he had asked him if he really wanted to know every detail of what had happened. He could imagine how Katums had come home, yelled at her and then had beat her up when she hadn't followed his requests in an instant; images that caused a new, strong hate to grow inside him.

"Did he...force you to do things you didn't want to do?" he asked carefully. He wasn't sure if asking this question was right. Something inside him wanted more answers though, hoping what she'd say would rather relieve than shock him even more. To his endless relief, she shook her head.

"No, I...didn't let him sleep with me. He tried to, but I...wasn't easy enough for him. I was too stubborn and he said the reason why he'll marry me is because he wants to be part of my father's mighty family. For...this kind of things he had his affairs for. Still he beat me up when I pushed him away every time." She paused briefly before she added, "But...I rather let him beat me up than...you know."

Although Danny was relieved by the fact that Katums hadn't gotten the chance to sleep with her, he felt his hate increase. He could only imagine how she must have felt during this horrible relationship, with no one at her side who could have protected her. Instead she had to act like the happy fiancé while this man had kept on beating her, cheating on her and using her to get an advantage of her famous father. Next to his almost overwhelming anger towards Katums, Danny felt another urge rising inside him, the urge to do exactly what should have been done much earlier; he'd protect her.

"No one will ever treat you like this again," he promised.

"That you're right with," Lindsay replied, surprising him with the sudden strength in her voice. He realised she had stopped shivering in his arms. Carefully he bent forward, gently wiping a curl out of her face. He found her face still red and wet with tears. The look of determination he found in those beautiful brown eyes though said more than words.

"I have enough of this, okay? Of all those nightmares. I have enough of being afraid, of feeling like either it was my fault because I didn't just leave him or feeling like a helpless victim." Suddenly she started to wiggle around in his tight embrace until her face came into his sight completely. Her eyes locked with his, the almost dark colour of her eyes sending shivers down his back. She had kept on avoiding to tell him what she was feeling and thinking about the catastrophe that was Katums. Still he had felt how it had been working inside her. Now seemed to be the moment when her feelings had found their way to the surface, wanting to get out. She was staring him right into the eyes, urging him to reply something, anything.

"You're a strong woman, Lindsay," he answered, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "One fact you can be sure about. I won't ever let anyone hurt you again. I promise. But...I know you don't need any protection, because you can stand on your own feet. You're an independent, strong person, you're studying, that's something only very few women are doing. You don't have to feel small anymore. No one will ever be able to hurt you again, and especially not men like Katums."

He paused briefly, watching her. Like so many times before, he was caught by the intensity in her eyes. He had never met a person who could express more with their eyes, allowing him a glance right into her soul and heart. In his eyes, she was the strongest person he had ever met. She had a strong will, she knew what she wanted. He wished she hadn't had to meet a person like the man she once had been supposed to marry. But even this situation, although it was still hurting her, had made her even stronger. Gently he ran his fingers over her cheek, smiling at her.

"I love you," he almost whispered. "And I'll show you that, every day."

"I love you, too," she whispered back, finally giving him the smile that never failed to touch his heart and brighten his day.

Still smiling at her, Danny closed the small distance between them, drawing Lindsay back into his arms. He could feel her arms instinctively closing around him, her fingers tightly grabbing the back of his shirt to keep herself as near to him as possible. Holding her like this, he felt her relax against him. He swore to himself he would stick to his promise. He would try everything to protect her and make her happy, to give her what she really deserved; a comforting, loving relationship.

--------

Sid Hammerback sat down in the large armchair. He took a long sip from his glass, filled with red wine, sparkling in the warm light of the fire burning in the fireplace. Releasing a light sigh, he set the glass onto the small wooden table next to his chair before he turned his attention back to the flames. All lights were switched out. Only the gentle flames were creating a warm, comforting atmosphere in his large, usually cold and white living room.

Sid didn't need much to relax. A glass filled with a good red wine, fire in the fireplace. Usually this was perfect for him after a long, hard day at work. Today was different. He couldn't calm down like usually. There were too many thoughts in his mind. Thoughts that all involved his daughter.

Being a hard working doctor, Sid didn't have much time to think about private topics. When he was at home, all alone though, this changed. In the quiet of his large apartment, he couldn't fight back the thoughts that found their way into his mind, even at night when he was supposed to use his few free hours to sleep.

If he was honest to himself, Sid's biggest fear had been to not be a good father for his daughter. After moving to New York, taking this job which brought in a lot of money but also a lot of working hours, he had been afraid he would miss something. He had tried to prevent this from happening. He had even tried to find a decent fiancé for her.

But then Danny Messer had appeared at his place and had told him that the man who had been supposed to marry Lindsay was a brutal, abusive criminal. Now, weeks after Daniel Katums had been arrested, Sid still hadn't been able to leave it behind. It wasn't the fact the man had fooled him that bothered him. It hurt him to know what his daughter had to go through without him noticing anything. It hurt him to know she had been feeling helpless, not knowing how to fight this man back until she had to go and ask a private investigator for help.

So far Sid hadn't dared to talk about the guilt he was feeling. Instead he had made a decision. Something like this would never happen again. He possibly hadn't noticed what kind of a man Katums had been. Now he would have a closer look at his daughter.

Once again sighing, Sid took another sip from his wine. The weekend and the dinner party he had planned for it came closer and closer. He couldn't deny it had surprised him how easily Lindsay had agreed to come and visit him together with Danny.

Danny. So far Sid hadn't had many opportunities to get to know his daughter's new boyfriend better. Or to express his gratitude for everything the younger man had done for him and Lindsay. One look at him, one look into those honest, blue eyes had been enough for him to know this man wasn't anything like Daniel Katums. The only thing the two men seemed to have in common was the name.

Even though Sid had been fooled before, he knew this man was truly loving his daughter, willing to do everything to make her happy. The dinner party would be his chance to get to know the young man better, showing him his gratitude and making sure he knew he was welcome to be part of his family.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay visit Jessica so she can teach him something about dinner parties. Stella and Mac meet again.**


	10. Meetings

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews and to everyone for reading! Special thanks to Hylen, afrozenheart412, Desiree1989, saturn567, SMacked Hard, Montana Angell and ImaSupernaturalCSI!**

**Chapter 10: Meetings**

"Danny, don't you be stubborn like that," Lindsay complained, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend. "It's nice that Jessica suggested to give you some training, so don't you act like a child. Come on now."

"I'm hungry, Lindsay. Can't we just go to a nice restaurant and have lunch together?" he suggested. "You know how wonderful I find it to go out with my beloved sweetheart and have lunch with her."

Turning around in the middle of the street, Lindsay stared at him, shaking her head at him. He was standing there, in front of her, looking at her with this pout, hoping it would convince her to just drop the topic and go out for lunch with him. She could imagine this trick had worked with the women before her. But not with her.

"Danny Messer! You stop complaining now!" she half hissed, half shouted. "We'll go and meet Jessica now."

"But it's my day off today, Lindsay," Danny whined. "It barely ever happens that I have the Saturday off."

"And Jessica often doesn't have the Saturday off either," Lindsay replied. "Still she's taking the time to help you. Also it was you who thinks he's scared to meet my father's friends, so if I was you I'd be relieved someone is trying to help you with those in my eyes unnecessary doubts and fears."

Danny looked back at her, thinking about her answer. Of course he would rather like to do something else with the pretty woman, dressed in one of her beautiful white dresses her friend Stella had created for her and that made her look like some kind of princess, instead of having to go to this meeting. But he couldn't deny she was saying the truth. It was a nice gesture of Jessica to offer him her help, and this on her rare free days.

"Alright," he sighed then. "Let's go and meet her. I promise I won't complain anymore."

A bright smile lit Lindsay's face. "Great." Quickly she grabbed his hand before he could change his mind. Then she pulled him with her. Releasing another light sigh, Danny followed her.

--------

"Do you really need all this...stuff?" Danny asked, staring at the table like it would explode every moment. In front of him on the large dining table in Jessica's living room, lovingly decorated with a plain, white tablecloth and a bouquet of white roses. She had a talent for decorating, that he had to admit. At this moment, Danny's entire attention was focussed on the huge amount of plates, forks, spoons, knives and glasses in front of him, much to Lindsay's amusement. Of course he had seen dining tables like this before, but still he was overwhelmed by what he had to see.

Jessica returned from the kitchen. Briefly she exchanged a look with Lindsay, biting her bottom lip to not grin at Danny's obvious confusion. Then she turned her attention to him and tried to be serious again.

"Yes, you need everything you can see there," she answered. "It might happen you find even more of that...stuff, when there are more than three courses."

"More than three?" Danny asked, his eyes widening, "I find three is a lot already, how is one able to eat more than three courses?"

Lindsay couldn't prevent the chuckle from escaping her lips. "If someone can handle a five courses menu, it's you, Danny."

He threw a brief glare at her, causing her to laugh even more. Staring at the table once again, he sighed deeply. "Alright, Jessica, I'm really grateful you're doing this for me. But do you think I can keep all this in mind?"

"I make notes for you," Lindsay told him. She walked over to Jessica's couch from where she had a good view at the dining table. She didn't plan on being amused about Danny's behaviour, then again she found it adorable how he bothered himself with all those formalities for her.

"Danny, are you nervous?" Jessica asked, amused by the almost scared look he gave the dining table. "It's not as bad as you probably imagine. It's something you'll easily keep in mind."

"I hope you're right," Danny answered, not entirely convinced. "And I'm glad you offered me help. I think I might have fainted if I saw a table like this without knowing what to do."

Jessica laughed. "I'm sure you'll do really fine. Now sit down."

"Is there a special way to sit down?" Danny asked, with raised eyebrows looking at the chair.

"As long as you don't knock the chair over or bump into the person next to you, you should be fine," she answered teasingly.

"Funny, really funny," Danny replied, sitting down on the chair. "Who taught you all that by the way?"

"My father. I had to learn it. As a waitress you have to know such things," Jessica answered. "It's not so difficult, actually it even makes sense."

Danny still didn't look convinced. "Not if you ask me. I'm totally fine with only having one spoon, fork and knife." He threw a quick glance over his shoulder at Lindsay, blushing lightly when he found her watching him. Apart from her lightly amused smile, she gave him a supportive look. He couldn't help the slight embarrassment he felt rising inside him. He knew she was used to dinner parties like this. The rules how to behave weren't difficult for her to follow.

Once again he caught himself by wondering if those differences between them could cause problems one day. Not because he minded her being from an upper class. Still there was the fear she could possibly change her mind about him one day. He quickly pushed the thought away though; how many times did she have to tell him she wanted him, and only him? If she knew his doubts regarding himself, she would get mad at him and he didn't want her to be mad at him.

"Alright, now what am I going to do?" he asked.

Jessica was sitting across of him, the same amount of plates, knives, forks, a glass and spoons in front of her.

"The really difficulty is actually setting the table. The person has to take care that everything fits. If for example the fork for the starter is at the wrong place, that's not your fault," she started to explain. "All you have to keep in mind is that you start with the outside folk and knife. Then you work inside."

Danny raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? It's easy like that?"

Jessica nodded. "And now let's try it."

While Jessica explained which dishes to use during which course to Danny, Lindsay watched the two of them with a warm smile on her face. She was aware of how much it had cost him to go to this meeting and to agree to go to the dinner party. Still he had done it. For her. Just another prove that showed her how important she was to him.

--------

When Stella stopped in front of the office door, she could feel herself shivering. Nervousness. Excitement. To only name a few of all those feeling that caused her to shiver. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Since when was she so nervous? Usually she was strong and determined, never scared of another challenge. Which was a good feature while wanting to be successful as a fashion designer.

But this situation she found herself in now was something completely different. Of course the excuse she had prepared back home and all the way to the office building was nothing more than that; an excuse. She hoped Mac Taylor wouldn't realise that.

"Come on, you can do that," Stella told herself, taking another deep breath. Then she knocked at the door before she ran her hands over the skirt of her silky dress; one of her best ones from her last collection. Hopefully she wasn't too overdressed?

But before she could torture herself with even more doubts, Mac's voice already told her to enter. "Come in."

With a lightly shaking hand, Stella opened the door. A bright smile lit her face when she entered the office of Mac Taylor, seeing the surprised look he gave her.

"Miss Bonasera," he greeted her, instantly getting up from his chair, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you, what a surprise. Can I do something for you?"

Stella tried to hide her nervousness behind her smile, shaking the offered hand. "Oh, I was looking for Lindsay. I was thinking maybe she's here, she often visits Danny around this time." Of course this was a lie. Stella knew Danny and Lindsay were at Jessica's place where the woman was telling him the basics of dinner parties. But Mac hopefully didn't know she was well aware of those plans. What other reason could she have to visit him though without showing what exactly she wanted?

"I'm sorry, but Danny has a day off today," Mac answered, giving her an excusing smile. "He and Lindsay wanted to meet a friend."

"Oh, really?" Stella replied in faked disappointment. "I was so hoping she would go to the park with me for a walk. Looks like I have to go alone then."

"If you don't mind, I could join you," Mac suggested, to Stella's surprise not letting her wait even a single minute. "I know I'm not your friend, but I was going to finish work in a few minutes and was planning on going to the park as well. I would like to have a companion. If you don't mind of course."

"That is a really nice idea," Stella answered, mentally congratulating herself. Who would have imagined her plan would work that easily and that quickly? Still with a smile on her lips, she walked over to his couch and sat down. "If you don't mind I'll just wait here for you to finish and will have a look at the newspaper."

"That sounds good to me," Mac said, smiling back at her. Stella watched him walking back to his desk where he sat down and turned his attention back to the file he had been working at. Secretly she watched him working, still smiling. She was happy she had just managed to arrange another meeting between them and she was excitedly looking forward to going to the park with him.

**Preview: Mac and Stella go to the park. Danny and Lindsay have a little conversation about the dinner party. Flack visits Jessica.**


	11. Little Moments Of Romance

**Author's note: Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I'm really happy you like this story and I have to say it's so much fun to write something so different from the show. Thanks to everyone for reading it and for the alerts. :) Special thanks to Mynerva24, Desiree1989, Hylen, Montana Angell, SMacked Hard, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight and California-Italian! **

**I might add events from 1928 to this fic, but please don't hit if they're not always completely accurate and if the timeline isn't always perfect. I'm trying my best. :)  
**

**Chapter 11: Little Moments Of Romance**

"Isn't the weather just beautiful?" Stella asked. She and Mac had been walking through Central Park for a while already, enjoying the warmth of this beautiful day in mid June. It wasn't the weather Stella paid the most attention to though; more she was interested in the man walking next to her. The day she had met him for the first time, Mac Taylor had caught Stella's attention. There was something about this man she liked, although she couldn't quite name what exactly she liked so much. Maybe because he seemed to be a real gentleman? Maybe because she could have long and serious conversations with this man? Possibly.

"Absolutely," Mac agreed. "It seems like the summer finally found its way into New York City. Soon the parks will be filled with people again, enjoying the warmth."

Stella nodded. "Yes. And there won't be any free seats in the cafes anymore."

"Speaking of cafes," Mac said. "Miss Bonasera, after this long and really nice walk, would you like to make a short stop in one of New York's beautiful cafes? Maybe 'Angell's café' would be a nice choice."

A surprised smile lit Stella's face. "Oh, that would be a wonderful idea. Angell's café is a very good choice either." Unfortunately Stella knew that Jessica had her day off today, so she wouldn't be able to meet her together with Mac. Still this didn't mean she wouldn't give her and Lindsay a detailed description of this day the next time the women would meet.

A few minutes later, the two were sitting at a small table near the large front window of the small café. The waitress had just brought them the ordered coffees; a black one for Mac and one with milk and sugar for Stella. Although this was only the third time the two of them had met, Stella couldn't help the feeling that being around Mac felt like she knew him for years already. People might think he was reserved and quiet, but if you got to know him better and managed to have a closer look at him, it was easy to see that the intelligent and friendly man had much more to give than one would expect. Stella was impressed by all the information they had already shared with each other during their few meetings; she knew about his job, he knew she was working as a fashion designer, both of them liked to go to Broadway shows and enjoyed reading a good book.

"I've heard an animated short called 'Plane Crazy' has been released by Mr. Walt Disney last month in Los Angeles," Mac just told her.

"Oh, I heard about that," Stella answered. "How much I wished I could have seen it, but unfortunately Los Angeles is so far, far away. Mr. Disney's work seems to be really good."

"Maybe one day we'll get to see his newest work over here in New York as well," Mac replied.

"That's what I'm hoping for," Stella said. She hesitated briefly before she added, "If it's shown here, maybe we could visit a show together then."

"I would love to," Mac answered, much to Stella's pleasure.

While the two of them continued talking, she caught herself by being amazed once again. It was so easy to talk to Mac. Never before she had dared to make suggestions like this to a man; never before she had dared to ask if they would go to a theatre together. It wasn't a fine behaviour for a woman, the man had to make the first step. With Mac everything was so much easier. She was grateful for the coincidence that had made her meet him.

---------

"Isn't this just a wonderful day?" Lindsay asked. She and Danny had just left Jessica's apartment building and had decided to go through the park for a little walk. Lindsay loved the warmth of the mid June weather, the sun sparkling in the large lake like thousands of diamonds, the birds singing in the trees, all the people who were in the park, enjoying the day as much as she did. To make this even more perfect, she had her arms hooked around his, showing everyone they were a couple; in this way nothing people could complain about.

"Yes," Danny answered.

"Oh, and look those adorable little duck babies over there, aren't they cute?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.

Getting the same short answer once again, Lindsay looked up at Danny in surprise. She found him not even looking at what she had just told him. Instead he seemed to be deep in his thoughts.

"You know what? I think we should buy Central Park, so we can forbid all those people to be here and we could spend all day here without being disturbed," she said, curious what he'd do now.

"Yes," Danny answered once again.

"Danny!" she exclaimed. The sudden change of volume in her voice caused him to snap out of his thoughts. Glancing down at her, he found her watching him with raised eyebrows.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Where have you been with your thoughts?" she wanted to know.

"Uh..." Instinctively Danny searched for an excuse for his behaviour. He couldn't deny he had noticed her talking to him but hadn't understood a single word of what she had been saying. He hadn't been able to prevent his thoughts from drifting away. Gazing into her intelligent brown eyes, he knew she wouldn't buy whatever excuse he'd come up with so he decided to be honest.

"I've been thinking about tomorrow's dinner party," he answered, immediately feeling himself blush.

"In a good or in a bad way?" Lindsay wanted to know.

Danny knew that now he was definitely blushing. "I'm not sure. I think I'm...still nervous."

Lindsay released a tiny sigh, her eyes remained serious though. "That's what I thought. Danny, this is just a dinner party. It's supposed to be fun. People will be eating a five courses menu and will chat a bit. That's all. Jessica told you what you have to keep in mind during dinner. Stella made a beautiful suit for you, although every of your other suits would have been perfectly okay as well. My father already knows and likes you. There is absolutely no need to be nervous."

"I know," Danny sighed. "But what if I screw up anyway? What if I'm acting like an idiot? Sure, I'm working with friends of your father, but this is exactly that; work."

"And you think in a private area you're acting like a stupid idiot who has no idea how to behave, who starts attacking people and yelling around like a mad man?" she wanted to know, giving him a look that almost made him laugh.

"No, but..."

"No, no buts, Danny," she interrupted him, earning a surprised look from him. It wasn't common for a woman to interrupt a man while speaking. Then again Lindsay and her two friends weren't acting like normal women; something he really loved about his girlfriend. "You'll do fine. You might be more open than them, you might like to talk about different topics than politics and business. You're not a boring person though, and definitely not stupid. You'll see, you're way smarter than many of my father's friends. And some of them are just like you; funny and friendly and open. They will all love you. You might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, then again that's normal when you meet people you've never met before. It's a dinner party and it'll be fine. No one has any plans on making you look stupid, Danny. Just believe me, relax and look forward to it."

Hearing the determination in her voice, Danny knew it was senseless to contradict; she wouldn't accept whatever he'd come up with.

"I will try my best," he said then.

A bright smile lit Lindsay's face. Satisfied she snuggled back against his side. "I'm honest. You don't have to be nervous. You'll be great. We'll have a lot of fun, you'll see. And when my father learns how much afford you put into preparing for this dinner party, he'll love you even more."

"Yes, hopefully," he answered.

While the couple continued walking through the park, Danny thought about what Lindsay had told him. Deep inside he knew she was right. The people they'd meet surely had better things to do than making him look like a fool. Also he knew not all of them were snobby and annoying; if they were anything like her or her father, this evening possibly really could be nice.

---------

Jessica had just cleaned the last few plates. Still she was smiling amused. The afternoon she had spent together with Danny and Lindsay had been nice and entertaining. She was certain she had never seen a couple that fitted together more perfectly before. They were so much in love and so close to each other; it was like watching a romantic novel coming true. She could understand her best friend's boyfriend was nervous because of the dinner party he'd have to visit the next day and she was happy she had been able to offer some help. Now she was convinced he was prepared for the next evening and she was sure the couple would have a great time at the party.

So deep in her thoughts, Jessica winced when she heard the loud sound of her doorbell echoing through her small apartment. It was very small, but at least it was her own place. If it had been up to her parents, she would still be living at home, together with them and her four brothers. Being someone who wanted to be independent one day though, her first own apartment had been a huge step into the right direction. It gave her the space she needed and even the opportunity to invite a certain man over to her place. A man who surely was the one who was ringing her doorbell now.

"Good evening, Jessica," Flack said when she opened her front door. Smiling at her, he tried to sound as polite as possible. "I hope I'm not disturbing the lady. Did your guests already leave again?"

Nodding, Jessica stepped aside to let him in. "I think they'll do fine tomorrow. It's understandable he's nervous though, dinner parties always made me nervous as well."

"Although I'm sure you never had a reason for that." Flack stopped in the middle of the small living room, causing Jessica, who had been following him, to almost run into him. Grabbing her around her waist, he prevented her from stumbling.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, instantly blushing.

"There's really no need to apologize," Flack answered, his voice so low it caused light shivers to run down her spine. He gazed her right into the eyes before a warm smile lit his face. "It was a nice gesture of you to help our two friends."

"That was nothing special," she replied, desperately trying to not blush even more at the intensity of his gaze. "That's what friends are for."

Flack nodded. "Danny and Lindsay are a beautiful couple." He pulled her a little closer, just enough so she could feel his warm breath on her face. "Just like the two of us."

"Don, I..." she started to contradict, immediately feeling this old instinct to kick in; how many times had her parents told her to not get too close to men? It was an instinct that had caused her to pull away from Flack so many times before. An instinct that didn't make her happy at all though.

"What?" he asked softly. She looked right into his eyes, seeing the warmth in them that never failed to touch her heart.

"Nothing," she answered. And despite what she had been taught as a young girl, she closed the last bit of distance between them and kissed him. Jessica knew her parents wouldn't be too happy if they ever caught her and Flack together like this. It made her happy though, and him, and at this moment this was all she cared about.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay go to the dinner party.**


	12. No Need To Be Afraid

**Author's note: Aww, thanks for the lovely and sweet reviews!!! Also thanks to everyone who's reading this story. :) The longer I'm writing this fic the more fun I have with it. It looks like it's going to be pretty long, so I hope you'll continue reading. :) In this chapter you'll meet Hawkes for the first time. It's the first of two parts of the dinner party. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, Montana Angell, saturn567, Hylen, Desiree1989, California-Italian and lily moonlight! Also lily moonlight and I (RoseBrina) updated our AU fic 'Big Sky Country'. :)  
**

**Chapter 12: No Need To Be Afraid**

Lindsay was watching Danny for several minutes already, amused noticing he didn't even know she was watching him although she was standing across of him in her bedroom. It was an unusual sight; he was sitting on the edge of her large bed with the soft blanket made of Egyptian silk. While she spent almost every day and night at his apartment, it barely happened he appeared at hers. Now he was sitting on her bed, dressed in the beautiful suit Stella had made for him and was busy with studying a paper he was holding in his hands.

"Danny, what exactly are you doing there?" she asked after giving up on making him notice she was watching him. "What's this for a paper?"

Finally realising she was standing across of him at the giant closet filled with so many clothes he wondered if maybe she was storing the ones of Stella and Jessica as well, he looked up at her, blushing bright red.

"Oh, this...It's nothing, really," he lied, blushing even more when he saw how she raised her delicate eyebrows at him. "I'm just waiting for you to get dressed." He let his eyes roam over her body, trying to not show how impressed he really was by what she was wearing; a long, tight, black dress and a black feather boa, a perfect contrast to her beautiful creamy skin.

"I am dressed now," she answered. Slowly she walked over to him. Danny, who knew her good enough, quickly hid the paper behind his back, well aware of what she wanted.

"Alright, I'll give you one more chance. What's on the paper?" she asked, stopping right in front of him. The way Lindsay was standing in front of him, hands resting on her hips, wearing this amazingly beautiful dress that fitted so perfectly to his own outfit, he could barely resist the urge to touch her. Of course she knew that and of course she knew he wouldn't keep on contradicting.

"I've just made a list with Mac last time I've been at work," he answered, feeling himself blushing more and more with every moment.

"A list?" Lindsay asked surprised. "A list of what?"

Danny sighed deeply. He couldn't hide he was slightly embarrassed. "A list with information for topics I could talk about tonight. I can't sit there and be quiet all the time because I have nothing to say."

Lindsay didn't know whether she should be amused or confused by this answer. She was amazed by how much time he spent with preparing for a simple dinner party, just because he wanted to impress her father and make sure he liked him. Then again she wondered what he was thinking about himself that he was so scared of screwing up; something she knew wouldn't happen.

"Danny, you don't need a list of topics so you can talk with people. Don't make yourself look like that. Sometimes I'm really concerned about how you're seeing yourself," she said then.

It was Danny's turn to look at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sighing lightly, Lindsay sat down on the bed next to him. "Danny, how many times did we talk about this topic? How many times did I tell you it's just a normal dinner party?"

"I know it is," he answered. "I'm not scared or something. I'm not even thinking about your father's friends like snobs anymore. I know there will be some nice people to chat to. But...you know me, usually all I'm talking about is work, sports and things like that."

"Yes, and apart from that, you're reading the newspaper every day," Lindsay added. "What do you think my father's friends are doing? They're not smarter than you, Danny, and I want you to understand that finally. They have loads of money; so much money I wonder how they'll ever be able to spend it. But they're not smarter than you and me, alright?"

Danny couldn't help but chuckle at the determination with which she tried to convince him once again. He had been honest when he had said he had changed his opinion. He was still annoyed by some of his clients and their behaviour, often treating him like he was an unintelligent man who had no idea what he was talking about. He knew not all of them were the same though and possibly she was right.

"Alright," he said then. "No more talks like that, I promise."

Lindsay smiled and placed a gentle kiss onto his cheek. "Thank you. Now let's hurry, I don't want us to be late."

---------

Danny couldn't deny he was so nervous he was afraid he wouldn't be able to walk all the stairs up to the giant penthouse of Dr. Sid Hammerback. His legs were shaking and he was glad he had Lindsay at his side, otherwise he would have turned around and run away again. Lindsay of course seemed to sense his nervousness and gently squeezed his arm, giving him a supportive smile when they arrived at the doctor's front door.

It was a maid who opened the door for them and let them in. Danny had been at this place before when he had met Sid Hammerback for the first time. Back then he had had other problems though with making sure the older man wasn't a companion of Katums. Now he was there for a dinner party and he had more time to take in the surroundings.

The apartment was even bigger than Lindsay's and Danny couldn't prevent himself from being afraid to touch anything for the case he could ruin something. Voices could be heard from somewhere in the apartment; obviously a lot of guests had already arrived. Before he could think about saying or asking anything, Sid walked through one of the large doors into the hallway, a bright smile lighting his face when he saw his two guests.

"Lindsay!" he said, embracing his daughter tightly. "I'm so happy to see the two of you here at my dinner party." He turned his attention to Danny, giving him a warm smile. "Daniel. It's so nice you could come as well. I was hoping you and Lindsay would come together."

"It's my pleasure," Danny answered, smiling back when he shook hands with the older man. It had been a long while since he had met Sid for the last time, but once again Danny was impressed by the warmth and friendliness coming from this man. He wasn't sure if this had to do with the fact that he had helped Sid and Lindsay with Katums and had managed to arrest him or because he was friendly to everyone or because he really liked him. Now he had plenty of time to find an answer for this question. Before anyone could say more though, the doorbell rang again.

"Lindsay, can you show Daniel around already? I'll just have a look who else arrived," Sid said.

Lindsay nodded. "Of course." To Danny she added, "Let's have a look at who's already here."

Danny followed Lindsay through the different rooms, getting closer to where the guests obviously had to be. Once again he felt a light uncomfortable feeling rising inside him. He was glad Lindsay was at his side, pressed against him; something that gave him some feeling of comfort.

And then they entered the room. At least ten other people were already there, chatting with each other in small groups. Danny had never seen anyone of them before and somehow he was relieved no client was among them; something that could have been awkward, depending on why the person had been his client.

"Are you alright?" Lindsay whispered. Looking down at her, Danny found her watching him.

"Yes, sure," he answered. "I just have to get used to being called Daniel. And to the fact I don't know anyone here."

Lindsay chuckled. "Don't worry about that, Dad and me you already know." She nodded towards a man, standing not far away from them, examining one of the large bookshelves. Although Danny hadn't even spoken a single word to the man yet, he instantly found him nice. Something about his appearance made Danny think that if this man was a doctor as well, he would definitely trust in him enough to go to him.

"Sheldon!" Lindsay greeted him, gently pulling Danny with her over to the man, who snapped out of his thoughts and turned around. When he saw them approaching, a friendly smile lit his face.

"Lindsay," he greeted back. Taking her hand, he bent forward lightly, blew a kiss onto the top of her hand before he smiled at her brightly. "It's nice to see you here again. Your father told me he invited you and your boyfriend." With that he turned to Danny, giving him the same warm smile.

"Yes," Lindsay answered. "Sheldon, this is Daniel Messer. Danny, this is Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, a colleague and friend of my father."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Messer," Sheldon said, offering his hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," Danny answered shaking the offered hand. "And Danny is fine."

"Only if you call me Sheldon," the other man replied, his smile widening lightly. "So, Sid told me you're a private investigator? That sounds like an incredibly interesting job."

"Oh, it's fine. Possibly not as exciting as being a doctor," Danny answered and once again he couldn't prevent himself from blushing.

Sheldon laughed. "I think both are interesting jobs. You have to tell me more about it- how is it to work as a private investigator?"

Danny couldn't deny he was surprised by this question. Sheldon seemed to be really interested in his job though; obviously Lindsay had been right when she had told him it wouldn't be too hard to find a topic to talk about with Sid's friends.

"Oh, it's a good job, I can't complain," he started while the doctor listened to him closely.

While Danny and Sheldon continued chatting, Lindsay, who was still standing next to her boyfriend and seemed to be listen to the conversation, instead was busy with watching him with a warm smile. She knew how nervous, almost scared he had been when they had arrived at Sid's apartment building. Despite everything she had told him since she had announced they'd go to her father's dinner party, he had been nervous he could do something wrong. Somehow she could understand him; possibly she would have reacted the same way in his situation. Now she could feel him relax. When she had seen her old friend, she had known the two men would start a conversation and quickly find a topic. She had been right obviously. Satisfied she noticed that obviously he started to slowly enjoy the dinner party as well.

**Preview: The dinner party continues. Is Lindsay right and Danny will enjoy it? And what happens when Sid wants to have a conversation with him?**


	13. All The Best For The Ones We Love

**Author's note: Aww, huge thanks to everyone for the sweet reviews, and for reading of course! Wow, 100 reviews already! Thank you!!! I'm so happy you liked the first part of the dinner party, here's the next one. :) Special thanks to Montana Angell, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, Desiree1989, Hylen, California-Italian, saturn567 and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 13: All The Best For The Ones We Love**

When her father had asked her if she wanted to visit his dinner party together with Danny, Lindsay hadn't been sure if this was a good idea. Not because she didn't want to go to the party with him; surely not. But before she had even spoken to him, she knew he wouldn't be all too amused by the idea.

Her suspicion had been right; although he had said it was alright to him she had agreed to the party already, he hadn't been happy, he had even been scared; scared because he thought he might screw up and her father's friends would think he wasn't the right man for her.

Now Danny was sitting next to her, talking with Sheldon, obviously even enjoying the conversation. Lindsay had hoped her father would invite his colleague. Before she had had a lot of conversation with the young doctor. Sheldon was a person who was open to every person, no matter who it was, no matter if he knew the person, if the person was rich or poor. He had instantly shown interest for Danny's job; honest interest, and this had surprised him. Being distracted like this, he hadn't even been nervous when other people had joined the conversation and had kept on talking without being shy. Now they were sitting at the large dining table and still there was nothing that revealed he might feel awkward or uncomfortable.

"I'm really not sure what to think about television," a woman sitting across of them, just said. "Isn't that too much? We have all those wonderful Broadway shows here in New York City. Why do we need something like television? So people don't have to go to theatres anymore? I find that a bit too easy. It would be sad if no one would visit the wonderful shows we get to see in theatres anymore."

"I don't think television will draw people away from cinemas," Lindsay replied. She had barely spoken a word yet; too much she was busy with watching Danny in awe, amazed by how comfortable he felt in an environment that had scared him away all the times before. Still being quiet all the time was unusual and before any of her father's friends or her father himself would ask her questions about her behaviour, she wanted to state her opinion as well. "Like you said, Sally, there are so many wonderful shows in the theatres, people won't suddenly abandon them completely because they rather like to sit in front of a television."

Sally, the woman who had the concerns regarding the first regular television program of WGY Television, didn't seem to be convinced. She turned to Danny.

"What do you think, Mr. Messer? Do you think television is a good or a bad idea?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Mrs. Anderson," Danny answered, giving the woman an excusing smile. "I don't own a television, currently I prefer going into a theatre if I want to watch a show. I think television is an interesting and surely very good invention. Soon people won't only read news in the newspapers but also will be able to watch them on television. So they'll be able to find out what's happening in the world much faster." With a wink he added, "Which doesn't mean no one is going to read newspapers anymore. Televisions might be used at home, but still it won't replace the nice feeling of reading through the news while having your lunch break at work."

Lindsay barely could prevent herself from grinning at his answer. And he had been concerned her father's friend would think he was stupid? More than once he had proven that he was more than capable of joining every kind of discussion. Like about whether television was a good invention or not.

"I have to admit you have some very good points, Mr. Messer," Sally admitted. "But with television there'll be yet another way to manipulate people."

"I guess that was the argument when the first newspaper was released as well," Danny replied, causing Sally to laugh.

"You're possibly right," she answered. Glancing at Lindsay again, she added, "Lindsay, it was really about time you presented us your partner."

"I absolutely agree with you," Lindsay said, glancing at Danny. 'I told you so,' she would have liked to add, but she was sure he knew what she was thinking. Carefully she glanced over to Sid, who was sitting at the head of the large table. He was busy with a conversation with two of his friends, but the moment she looked at him, he glanced back at her. A warm smile lit his face; a smile Lindsay knew all too good. He was happy for her, and so was she. So far the evening was going better than even she had expected.

The dinner went well. The atmosphere was friendly and it seemed like every single guest was talkative this night. Lindsay had been on a lot of dinner parties her father had arranged before. Usually she didn't really like them. This one though was entertaining and nice and more than once she caught herself by being relieved she had agreed to the invitation. All the time she kept a close look at Danny, who seemed to enjoy himself as well, even when the servant set a large plate of lobster in front of him; exactly the kind of food he had been scared of before.

"I think you have to help me with coming up with a nice way to thank Jessica for all the help," he whispered. "Thanks to her I'm not going to fake fainting now, leave the room or lie and say I'm allergic of lobster."

Lindsay chuckled. "Yes, we have to thank her for that." She watched him for a moment before she added, "You really like this evening, don't you?"

Danny smiled at her while carefully working on the lobster the way Jessica had shown it to him. "It's better than I thought, yes. I wouldn't mind going to such dinner parties more often." A little quieter he continued, "I have to admit, I would love to meet Sheldon more often, but apart from him I still prefer our own friends."

"That I can understand," Lindsay agreed, smirking. "And...thank you for doing this for me."

"It's my pleasure," Danny answered, winking at her.

After they had finished the five courses dinner, the guests left the dining table again, not to go home yet though. Still there seemed to be a lot of topics to discuss and although Danny had hoped they could leave the dinner party right after said dinner, he found himself having no problems with staying a bit longer. He had found a great conversation partner in Sheldon; together with him and Lindsay talking was more than enjoyable, even when some of Sid Hammerback's other friends joined them.

Danny had to admit he was slowly changing his previous prejudices. Still he hadn't been talking to all of the guests at the party and he had to admit some of them weren't people he was interested in talking to. Apart from those few people who reminded him of his often very snobby clients, there were a couple of other people, rich people, who were exactly the opposite of what he had expected. They were funny and entertaining and to his surprise truly interested in his opinion and his arguments. It was a nice experience and Danny was determined to be less judging when it came to people from the upper class.

He, Sheldon, Lindsay and Sally were busy with yet another conversation, this time about a certain Broadway show, when Sid approached them. With a warm smile he joined the group.

"It's nice to see you're enjoying the evening," he said. Then he turned to Danny, who, despite the way he had been feeling during the evening, felt himself wince lightly. "Mr. Messer, since we greeted each other when you arrived, we didn't have a chance to get to know each other better yet. Would you mind to join me on the balcony for a bit?"

Danny could feel a shiver running down his spine at the question. Quickly he glanced at Lindsay, silently asking her for what to say. She nodded lightly, giving him a supportive, encouraging smile. He knew any answer but yes was wrong in this situation and so he nodded and followed Sid onto the large balcony. But as much as he tried to tell him that after how this evening had gone so far, there was no need to get nervous now, he couldn't do anything against the feeling rising inside him. He couldn't even enjoy the very impressive view they had from the balcony; a free view over the skyline of New York City.

"There is no need to feel nervous, Daniel," Sid suddenly said. When Danny looked at him in surprise, Sid laughed and added, "I can imagine how you're currently feeling. I've felt the exact same way back then when I have met the parents of Lindsay's mother for the first time."

Danny blushed lightly. "I know I shouldn't act like this. You can call me Danny by the way. I'm more used to it than I am to Daniel, Dr. Hammerback."

Sid nodded. "Fine, Danny it's then, as long as you call me Sid. So, Danny, how did you like the dinner party? If I was you I would have been nervous to meet a group of people I've never seen before."

Listening to Sid's question, combined with the way he was asking it, Danny had to admit he slowly started to calm down again. Sid seemed to know how he had been feeling and possibly even understood him. He had offered to call him 'Sid' instead of 'Dr. Hammerback', which had to be a good sign.

"It was a nice dinner party," he answered then.

"That's nice to hear," Sid replied. He was quiet for a moment, his attention turned towards the view in front of them. Danny used the chance to watch the older man for a bit. He couldn't quite interpret the expression in his eyes. He could feel something was bothering him and somehow he got the feeling it was only a question of time until he'd speak it out. Also he couldn't help the feeling that Sid wasn't planning on getting to know him better; the two of them had already spoken a couple of times before during the time Danny had been trying to arrest Katums and when he had announced the criminal wasn't any danger anymore.

"Lindsay seems to be really happy with you," Sid said then, turning his attention back to Danny. "She really loves you, Danny."

Danny was surprised by the sudden confrontation. There was only one response he had to make. "I love her as well. More than anything or anyone before. It's my intention to make her as happy as possible."

Sid nodded. "That's what I'm seeing. Listen, Danny, I know the two of you are together for much longer than you announced. I know you've been together with her already when you've come to me for the first time, back then when you have told me my daughter's ex-fiancé was a criminal."

Danny blushed bright red. He knew they had been together back then? But before he could reply, Sid already continued.

"I've seen it in her eyes. I knew something was wrong before, I could feel it. I know she wasn't happy with Mr. Katums and I will never forgive myself I didn't step in earlier," he said, a guilty expression in his eyes now.

"No one could have known about Katums's plans and what he was doing," Danny answered, instinctively trying to convince Sid he didn't have a reason to feel guilty. "The man was smart, he knew how to fool people around him to keep his business running."

Sid sighed lightly. "I know. Still I feel guilty. She's my daughter and I felt something was wrong with Mr. Katums. Still I let her be together with him and didn't try to help her until you came to my place and told me I engaged her with a criminal."

Sid's voice trailed off, but Danny could feel the older man wanted to say more. So he remained quiet and simply looked at him, signaling him he was listening.

"All my life I wanted nothing else but my daughter and wife to be happy," he continued then. "I love my job, but even more I loved I could give my family everything they needed. All I wanted was to make sure they would never be hungry, never be thirsty, never would have to be without a warm bed to sleep in. All I wanted was the best for them. But unfortunately I couldn't give my wife what she really needed; time and love. When I realised that all the hours I spent with working only caused her to feel more and more lonely, it was too late. She broke up with me and headed back to Montana to her parents. On this day I swore to myself that I would try everything to make my daughter happy. I tried to be there for her as much as I could and still tried to work enough so she could have everything she wanted and needed. I supported her with her study and all I wanted was that she'd marry a man who would make her happy, who could give her everything she needed. I still don't understand how I could think Daniel Katums was this man. All I wanted was Lindsay to be happy and instead I pushed her into an abusive relationship."

Once again Sid stopped. Danny could see tears glistering in the man's eyes. He could understand what he was feeling. All his life Sid had wanted to make his family happy. After he couldn't make his wife happy, he wanted to make it better with his daughter. Still Danny was convinced that Sid was judging himself too hard though.

"Dr. Hammerback...Sid..., of course I don't know you for a long time yet," he said. "I can't tell anything about what your wife has been thinking and it's not my right to try that. What I can tell you though is what your daughter is feeling. I know she loves you and she's grateful to have a father like you. I know she doesn't blame you for her relationship with Katums and for engaging her with him; you thought he was a good man when you told her you wished that the two of them would marry and no one could have known what a brutal criminal this man was. Listening to you is enough for me to know that you would do everything to make her happy. I wish I had a father like you."

Sid, who had been avoiding eye contact during his speech, turned towards Danny now. There were still tears glistering in his eyes, but to Danny's relief, he was smiling at him.

"Thank you, Danny," he said. "It means a lot to me to hear that from you. I'm very grateful for everything you have done for my daughter. You have risked a lot back then. And now...I only have to look her into the eyes to see how happy she is. She's happy like that because of you. I couldn't imagine anyone better for her than you, Danny."

It was Danny's turn to blush. Ever since he was together with Lindsay, he had been wondering about what Sid was thinking about him as her boyfriend. Now he had the answer and it was better than anything he had dreamt about; Sid was grateful that he was together with her.

While Danny and Sid were talking on the balcony, they didn't notice Lindsay, who was hiding near the door. A bright smile lit her face at what she could hear. She knew she would have to have a conversation with her father about what he was thinking, but for now her boyfriend had already spoken out what she was thinking.

Even more she was glad about the fact that her father had made clear how grateful he was for their relationship. Of course Lindsay knew that Sid liked Danny a lot. Hearing he couldn't imagine a better partner for his daughter was a wonderful feeling though, for both of them.

**Preview: Lindsay learns more about Danny's past. Mac is thinking about his feelings and why he is afraid to fall in love again. Jessica tells Flack about her family, her doubts and what she wants.**


	14. Past And Present

**Author's note: Huge thanks for the lovely reviews! Also thanks to everyone for reading! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, Smacked Hard, California-Italian, Desiree1989 and Montana Angell! You guys are so sweet. :)**

**Chapter 14: Past And Present**

Far after midnight Danny and Lindsay left Sid's apartment building to head home. After the long party, both of them were tired and exhausted. Both of them had a smile on their faces though. That late at night, the streets of New York were unusually quiet. It almost felt like they were in a different city and Lindsay was glad she had Danny at her side; walking around New York City all alone in the middle of the night wasn't something one should do as a woman.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Lindsay asked after they had been walking in silence for a while. Even though being out at night was something that could be scary, she enjoyed it; snuggled against her partner's side, feeling his secure embrace, without people running around them.

Danny shook his head. "It wasn't bad at all. I'd even say I'm happy you invited me to go with you."

Lindsay's smile widened. She felt the strong wish to say 'Told you so', but didn't do it. Although she knew Danny liked her open mind and her ability to comment back, she still was hesitant; usually such a behaviour wasn't common for a woman. As much as she was acting the way she wanted, she couldn't change the way she had been raised as a child.

"I knew my father's friends would like you. Everyone likes you," she said instead.

Danny shrugged. "Well, a couple of them didn't really notice me, but even I have to admit your father has some nice friends."

"That he does," Lindsay agreed, chuckling lightly at all the conversations they had had. "I really wonder what made you think you're not smart. Your arguments have been much better than the ones of some of the others."

Danny laughed. "Depends on whose side you were."

Lindsay smiled. "But really, I would like to know what made you so insecure? You were so open, you discussed all the time, you never got tired of any conversation and you always knew what to say in response. I knew that before but I really wonder what you've been so scared about?"

She looked up at Danny, waiting for a response. Even though he wasn't looking at her, she could see he was hesitating. It wasn't the first time she got the feeling there was much more behind his behaviour than he was ready to admit. So far she hadn't dared to ask, for several reasons. Mostly she didn't want to seem to be too curious. Whenever she had tried to hint into a certain direction, he had immediately changed the topic. So far most conversations had been about herself and her past. He had had a lot of questions and had made her answer them. By now he even knew everything about her so called relationship with Katums.

Once again she realised she barely knew anything about him though. She knew he was a private investigator, she knew he loved his job, but not always his clients. She knew he and Flack were friends for a long while, that he knew Jessica even longer than she knew her friend herself and that he was very close to Mac as well. But apart from that?

"Some things just never change," he answered after what had to be several long minutes.

"What do you mean?" Lindsay asked carefully.

Danny sighed lightly. "It means you can't completely forget your past, no matter how hard you try." He paused briefly before he added, "Can we please not talk about it now?"

Lindsay nodded. If someone knew how difficult it was to ignore events from the past, it was her. "Of course. But...you know what you told me regarding Katums, don't you? We don't have to talk now but...maybe later?"

Danny glanced back at her and Lindsay already wondered if she had pushed too much already. But then he nodded.

"Later maybe. Just not now," he said.

Again she nodded. "That's fine."

Together they continued their walk back home, both of them deep in their thoughts again.

---------

Although it was already far after midnight, Mac was still wide awake. Once again he got up to leave his bedroom. He headed back into the living room, leaving the lights switched off though. Slowly he walked over to one of his large living room windows to gaze out into the darkness of the night. Carefully Mac opened the large window, instantly being greeted by a strong, warm breeze.

New York City at night. Quiet, almost peaceful. Mac closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Peace. How much he wished to feel this again. Ever since his wife Claire had died, he hadn't been able to feel peaceful or calm anymore. Ever since this day he had sleepless nights and nightmares.

Releasing another light sigh, Mac let his eyes wander over to the fireplace at the wall across of him. On top of it he found the picture frame he had been staring at so many times before. It was a picture of their wedding. How happy they looked on that picture; both of them smiling, like every newly married couple should. Mac was sure he had never been happier before in his life than on this day. Back then no one had expected she'd die only a few years later. If he had known she would catch this fever on her journey, he would have never let her go. But how should he have known it?

Mac squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight back the rising memories. Memories of him sitting at Claire's bed, holding her hand while she was suffering from the fever. Even Sid Hammerback and Sheldon Hawkes hadn't been able to do anything. This had been more than two years ago, and still Mac couldn't sleep during the night without waking up.

Still something had changed now, and the fact that it had changed made him feel guilty. Despite everything Danny and his other friends had tried to tell him, Mac had sworn to himself he would never fall in love again. He wanted to keep Claire in his memories and his heart and no one else was allowed to replace her. So far this plan had worked perfectly.

But then he had met Stella. He hadn't planned on meeting her and she also wasn't a woman someone had told him to meet. It had been by coincidence; in Central Park while he had been reading in the newspaper. More than once they had met since this moment. Mac wasn't sure if all of those meetings really had been coincidences, but he also didn't care. He liked to be around Stella, liked to chat with the woman who had so much in common with him. And despite himself he felt it again, this special feeling, so warm, so comfortable. It made him feel guilty though.

Slowly Mac walked over to his fireplace and took the picture frame into his hands. Like always he smiled warmly at the couple he could see on it.

"You know I will always love you, Claire," he whispered. "Always. But I can't do anything against what else I'm starting to feel now. I tried to push it away, tried to ignore it. But it doesn't work." He stopped briefly, sighing. "How much I wish I knew what you're thinking about Stella. About me and Stella. How much I wish I knew whether you'd want me to move on, like they all keep on telling me. Should I allow myself to fall in love again?"

Mac kept on looking at the picture of Claire. And it almost felt like she smiled even more at him and nodded in response.

---------

Quietly Jessica had gotten up and left the bedroom, making sure she didn't wake Flack up. She knew he had had a hard and long day and he needed his sleep. She had smiled at the sight of him spread across her bed, deep asleep. She headed into the kitchen, gratefully finding the pot with tea still filled. While she waited for it to heat up again, she leant against the kitchen counter, allowing her thoughts to drift away. She almost jumped when she realised she wasn't alone in the kitchen anymore.

"You know it's the middle of the night and you should be asleep, Jessica?" a sleepy Flack asked.

"Oh, I just woke up and couldn't fall asleep again," she answered, like so many times before feeling herself blushing lightly. "I didn't mean to wake you up, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Flack answered. "Just give me some of that tea."

Jessica nodded and turned her attention back to the boiling tea. Flack watched her in silence for a while until he spoke again.

"What's wrong, Jessica?" he asked softly.

She turned around to him and stared at him with huge eyes. "Nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?"

Flack released a light sigh. "I can feel something is wrong. Something is bothering you. I can't help the feeling it has something to do with us."

Jessica stared back at him, ready to contradict. The look he was giving her made her stop though. He wasn't that wrong with his suspicion and she didn't want to lie at him.

"I don't have a problem with you, or with us," she said then. "It's just...I'm afraid. I'm afraid about what happens when it comes out."

"You think someone would have a problem with me being together with you?" Flack asked, hardly able to hide his disappointment. This wasn't what Jessica had meant though.

"I don't care about what people think about us, Don. I love you and all I want is to be together with you," she answered, hoping she could convince him. "But...I'm scared of my father's reaction. And of the ones of my brothers. I know...actually my father wanted to choose my partner for me and if it's up to my brothers I wouldn't be allowed to have a partner at all."

"So he counts to those who still want to choose their daughter's future husbands themselves?" Flack asked.

Jessica nodded. "But that's not what I want. I want you, only you. I don't want to have some man my father and my brothers chose for me. I want to decide myself. I'm not even a girl from the upper class. I want to decide who I want to be together with." She stopped, confused by the look Flack was giving her now. "Why are you smiling?"

"Why am I smiling?" Flack walked over to her, stopping where only inches were separating them. "Did you just hear yourself? You said you want no one else but me. Which guy wouldn't smile?"

Despite her mood, Jessica couldn't help but smile as well. "But if my father realises I'm meeting you and that you even stay over here for the night..."

"He won't find it out," Flack replied, placing a gentle kiss onto her forehead. "I promise I'll be more careful so he won't catch us. And I'll try to be around him more, maybe try and have some nice conversations with him? Who knows, maybe one day he'll like me enough to choose me himself."

Jessica chuckled. "That would be just perfect."

Flack didn't reply. Instead he pulled her closer and kissed her softly. He would try his best to convince her father that he was worth to be his daughter's partner.

---------

Although the dinner party had been long and exhausting, Lindsay was still awake. She couldn't fall asleep. All the time she had to think about what Danny had told her. She was surprised by herself; why hadn't she just pushed her doubts that she was too curious away and had just questioned him about his past? Now he knew everything about her but she knew practically nothing about him.

Once again she turned around in bed, trying to find a more comfortable position to sleep. Before she could close her eyes though, the light on the bedside table was suddenly switched on and she found her partner looking at her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, concern in his eyes. "After such a party you should be tired and sleeping."

"You aren't sleeping either," she answered.

"Yes, because I felt you were still awake," Danny replied. "So what's wrong?"

Lindsay stared back at him, not sure what to answer. Should she be honest and tell him what she was really thinking or should she just come up with an excuse? Once again she wondered how she'd feel though if she was in his situation. Would she like to hear an excuse or the truth? The answer was easy.

"To tell you the truth, I'm just wondering why you know practically everything about my past and I know nothing about yours," she said then. She noticed how Danny's expression instantly changed. Still she was convinced her answer had been right.

"It's nothing to be proud of, so I didn't care to share it yet," he answered.

"What if I'd like to know it anyways?" Lindsay asked back. When he didn't answer, she added, "You know I love you, don't you? I don't care whether you have a past to be proud of or not. I just want to know everything about you, like you know everything about me. It won't change my feelings, believe me."

Danny looked back at her, thinking about what to reply. Lindsay knew he was going to say more and so she remained quiet, patiently waiting for his answer.

"And you'll listen to the whole story?" he asked then.

She nodded. "I'll listen."

Nodding, Danny pulled Lindsay back into his arms, embracing her tightly. So far he had tried to hide his past in front of her. She was right though. He knew everything about her, so she had the right to know everything about him as well.

**Preview: Danny tells Lindsay about his past.**


	15. Stories Of The Past

**Author's note: Aww, like always huge thanks for the sweet reviews and to everyone for reading! I'm still so excited whenever I see a review for this fic and it makes me so happy you like it. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Desiree1989, California-Italian, sucker-4-SMacked, lily moonlight and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 15: Stories Of The Past**

"My past hasn't been so enjoyable, and it hasn't been easy either," Danny started. "It's not like I'm proud of it, so I'm not sure if I should..."

"Danny, please," Lindsay interrupted him softly. She was lying on her side, supporting her head with her left hand, while her right hand was gently running up and down his arm. "I want to hear it, no matter whether it's something to be proud of or not."

Danny nodded. He released a light sigh before he started to speak. "I haven't been born in America. I'm actually from Europe."

Lindsay looked at him in surprise. She had expected to hear a lot of things she hadn't expected, but an important information like that? "Oh, I had no idea," she said, blushing lightly. Of course she knew it wasn't her fault she had no idea where he was originally from; he had kept his past a secret as good as he could. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Italy," Danny answered. "I've been living in Italy the first 14 years of my life. It's a wonderful country to grow up. I'm from Sicily and I'm coming from a really huge family." At the memories, a warm smile lit his face. "It was a wonderful time and I love to look back at it." His expression changed when his memories moved on. "But then everything changed when the World War broke out."

Lindsay nodded. Danny was born in 1900; three years earlier than her. 14 years everything had been okay, until the war broke out. She could already imagine what had happened back then. Looking him into the eyes, she saw the sad expression in them. Gently she took his hand and squeezed it lightly, silently encouraging him to go on.

"The situation in Europe became more and more dangerous and my parents wanted me and my brother Louie to be safe and so they decided we should leave the country. I was 15 at that point," he continued then. The pain in his eyes, didn't fail to break her heart. Lindsay simply wanted to embrace him, but hesitated. She didn't want to make it more difficult for him.

"They found out a ship was going to leave Italy and was taking some people with them to America," he said. "My parents wanted to use this chance. They told my uncle to enter the ship with Louie and me and that's what he did. I didn't want to leave, not while my whole family stayed in Italy. But they didn't let me stay. They wanted me to go and I had no other chance. So we entered that ship and left the country and headed to America."

"It surely wasn't easy to leave the country without your family, without knowing what was awaiting you," Lindsay replied softly. She could feel the lump in her throat already. It had hurt her when her mother had decided to move back to Montana and leave her and her father in New York. But still she could just enter a train and visit her. Visiting a family in Italy was much more difficult. There were so many questions she had; did he still have contact to his family? And where were his uncle and brother living now? But before she could ask those questions, Danny already continued.

"I possibly would have hated going even more if I had known what was awaiting me," he told her. "Apart from my fear and sadness to leave them all behind, I got excited with the time. The first few days we spent in New York were even quite nice. Everything was so new, everything was so exciting I almost forgot feeling homesick. I even felt some hope back then; hope because I thought maybe everything would be fine and my parents could follow one day. I should have known it would just get worse."

He paused again. Lindsay wanted to reply something, but she didn't know what to say. Hearing he had to leave the country where he had grown up already hurt her. She couldn't imagine to leave New York and therefor was glad her father had made her stay. But leaving a country and even learning a new language? This had to be painful, especially when he had to leave this huge family behind in Europe during the war.

"What happened after you arrived?" she asked, cursing herself for her shaking voice. She wanted to be strong and supportive. She could feel how much it cost him to talk about this part of his past; a very important part that had changed a lot.

"My uncle didn't find a job in the city and we barely had any money anymore. We decided to travel west, but we didn't even have money for tickets. My uncle could only buy two tickets, so one of us had to stay in New York. It was me who he left here. He didn't want to, but I promised I'd be fine and that he couldn't leave Louie alone. Although my brother is older than me, he always got himself into trouble. So my uncle and my brother left and I had to stay in New York."

At this point, Lindsay could feel tears rising in her eyes. Danny's expression was serious, almost painful now. She could almost see the thoughts and memories running through his mind and she could only imagine what he was feeling right now. He had been alone in the huge city of New York, still so young, almost a child. One question was dominating her mind now.

"How did you manage to live in the city, all by your own and with no money?" she wanted to know. Once again Danny's expression changed. It seemed like he was blushing and getting pale at the same time.

"I almost didn't manage that," he answered quietly. He glanced up at her again. "Lindsay, why do you want to know all this about me? Who cares? I'm here now, I have a job and an apartment. Who cares about how it has been before?"

"I care," Lindsay replied softly. She hesitated briefly, before she added, "Did you at least have a home back then?"

Danny released a deep sigh, but didn't answer immediately. Lindsay could see he felt uncomfortable and seeing him like that caused her to feel guilty. Did she push him too far?

"You don't have to tell me more if you don't feel comfortable with it," she said then.

But Danny shook his head. "Lindsay, you didn't want to talk about Katums either, did you? Still you opened up to me." He paused briefly, thinking about how to continue. "It's just...it wasn't an easy time back then."

"Obviously you handled it though," she replied.

Danny nodded. "Yes, I did. Wasn't an easy way though, believe me. Like I said, I didn't have any money. I didn't have money to rent an apartment or even a single room. I didn't even have money for food."

Biting her bottom lip, Lindsay had to blink a few times to fight back her rising tears. Even without a further description, she could imagine how Danny had been living back then.

"I've been living in an alley, not all too far away from here. I didn't have much more than a cardboard box to sleep in," he told her, blushing. "I sold all my clothes so I could buy me food. Back then I didn't own anything else but the clothes I was wearing. The money for food didn't last long and so I asked some people if they could give me some money. I quickly learnt there are lots of people you better don't ask for money or food, no matter whether you're almost starving or not."

Sparks of anger were glistering in his eyes. He shook his head at the memories that kept on running through his mind. Lindsay watched him quietly, not sure whether she should respond or not. But like before she didn't have to.

"At first I had no idea how to get myself out of this situation. On one point I was certain I'd either be killed by someone or would starve out there in my cardboard box. One day then I really felt homesick, wished I could have just stayed in Italy, where I would possibly feel better. Thinking about my parents, I realised that giving up and simply starving in some meaningless alley was exactly the opposite of why they had sent me into this city. They made me leave the country to rescue me and now I was actually safe but something like that would happen to me? I realised I couldn't do that to them. Also not to my uncle and Louie. It was the moment when I realised I had to change something and I had to fight for it. So I left my cardboard box. I washed my clothes and tried to make myself look as good as I could in my current shape. I knew it wouldn't be easy to find a job; I was so young and didn't have the best appearance and it hadn't worked before, but I was determined to make it happen."

"And that's what you did," Lindsay said, trying to swallow her tears away.

Danny nodded. "Some people let me work for them. I've been washing dishes, I've been cleaning shops and restaurants. Luckily I met Mr. Angell then. He gave me a job in one of his restaurant, a real full time job. He let me live in the basement of the restaurant and while I used my first salary to buy me some new clothes and save some of it, he gave me left over food from the kitchen- often better than what I could have bought in the shops. I owe him a lot and I still can't thank him enough for giving me this chance. Because of him I had a real job and a room and food and I could save enough money so I could go to school and become a private investigator. It was a long and very hard way to get to this point, but I managed to do it. Luckily with the help of Mr. Angell."

A smile lit his face when he thought about the man who had helped him when he had needed help the most. "Even wanted me to marry Jessica one day, but he quickly realised we're nothing more but friends." He looked at Lindsay and frowned. "Hey sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Lindsay, who had been trying to fight back her tears, couldn't prevent herself from crying anymore. Hectically she tried to wipe them away. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he said softly, gently taking her hands into his. "Why are you crying, sweetheart?"

"It's just...I'm so sorry you had to go through all this," she answered between sobs. "And that apart from Mr. Angell, no one helped you. There are so many rich people living in this city and no one saw you were hungry and gave you any money or food? No surprise you have such a dislike against those people."

Danny gave her a warm smile. "Maybe that's the reason. But it also somehow was good for me. Look at what I have now. I have my own apartment. I have a very good job. I don't have to be afraid I won't have any food the next day. I have great friends and a wonderful girlfriend. Look how far I have come. I've started with nothing and now I have all that. For me it's like as if I was a normal working man who suddenly turned into a millionaire. Sure, back then it was hard, but now I'm more than happy."

Wiping her tears away, Lindsay nodded. "I know. Then I don't understand why you wanted to hide that in front of me. I'm impressed by how far you've come and what you managed to do, and you were so young back then. You can be proud of yourself."

Once again Danny blushed lightly. "Still your father doesn't really have to know that. I'm glad enough you have this opinion."

Playfully sighing, she shook her head at him. "He would have the same opinion." Giving him a light smile, she moved closer, back into his arms, which instinctively closed around her. "And never forget this, please. You can be very proud of yourself. I will remind you of that the next time you start to doubt yourself again."

Danny smiled at her comment. If he was honest to himself, Lindsay was right. He could be proud of himself. He had started with owning nothing and now had everything he needed to be happy. He should listen to her and learn to be proud of himself.

**Preview: Lindsay goes to Mac to ask for help because of something she wants to do for Danny. Flack talks about his feelings and fears because of Jessica's father.**


	16. Friendship And Love

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the lovely feedback! I'm so glad you liked the chapter. Also thanks for reading! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, ImaSupernaturalCSI, Desiree1989, saturn567, Hylen and sucker-4-SMacked!**

**Chapter 16: Friendship And Love**

It was midday and like every midday during the week, Mac was sitting in his office. Usually it wasn't easy to distract him while he was working. Mac loved his job with a passion. Many people were referring to him as the man who was married to his job. Of course Mac was also aware of all the other theories regarding his passion for his job. Once Danny had asked him directly if the reason why he spent so many hours, even days at work had to do with the fact that he tried to distract himself because he felt lonely. Mac could clearly remember Danny's face after he had realised he had once again not been able to keep his thoughts quiet. He had apologized for being so direct, but Mac couldn't even deny that his younger colleague and friend was right.

Back when he had been together with Claire, Mac hadn't been at work as often as he was now. After Claire had died, Mac had been at work almost the whole day, for weeks. Once he had been found sitting in his desk chair, asleep. Mac had thrown himself into work, had desperately tried to distract himself, afraid to go home, because back there, everything would have reminded him of Claire, because back there he would have to think and during this time, thinking had been the least thing Mac had wanted to do. Too much he was blaming himself; could he have done anything to protect Claire? He knew he wouldn't find an answer for that question.

Now, so many months later, Mac still spent a lot of time at work. The reasons for that might have changed though. Mac still thought about Claire a lot, but he wasn't hurting anymore. He could handle being alone, could bear those thoughts. He was used to working hard and long though and so his job still took most of his time every day.

But something had changed. Although it was only midday, Mac had problems with concentrating. His thoughts drifted away. Away to a certain woman. Since Mac had seen Stella for the first time, he couldn't help but think about her. The woman was pretty and smart and he loved to talk to her. He seemed to have a lot in common with her and she had a refreshing way to chat and smile. It was the first time since Claire that Mac paid attention to a woman. Still he was hesitant; was it really alright that he got such feelings for a woman again? Then again he knew Claire and he knew she wouldn't have wanted him to be alone. But it wasn't that easy to make himself believe that.

Mac snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a soft knocking at his office door.

"Come in," he said, shaking his head to clear his mind, expecting a new client. But when the door opened, it was Lindsay who entered the room, much to Mac's surprise.

"Hello Miss Monroe," he greeted her. "If you're here to meet Danny, I have to disappoint you. He left together with Mr. Flack, I think they've gone to Angell's."

But Lindsay shook her head. She blushed lightly when she closed the office door again, standing in front of the older man with an unsure expression. "Actually I'm here to talk to you, Mr. Taylor."

Surprised raising his eyebrows, Mac leant back in his chair, with a wave of his hand signalling her to sit down across of him. "To me? What can I do for you?"

Looking back at him, Lindsay hesitated. She had a clear target. When she had woken up in the morning, she had been determined to follow her plan. Now, while sitting across of Mac, she suddenly felt unsure again. But this plan wasn't about herself. She wanted to do something for Danny and she wouldn't cancel it only because she suddenly felt insecure.

"You...know about Danny's background, don't you?" she asked carefully, thinking about how to word what she wanted to say. "You know, that he came from Italy because his parents wanted him and his brother to be away from the World War."

Mac nodded. "Yes, of course." He was surprised by her mentioning this chapter of his younger friend's past. Once before he had asked Danny if Lindsay knew about his own past while he had been questioning her about hers. Danny had quickly pushed the question away, telling him it wasn't the right time to talk about it yet. Secretly Mac had known that Danny simply had been afraid to tell her how his fresh start in America had looked like. He had tried to encourage him carefully, but his friend had simply been too stubborn. Obviously she had made him talk now though. "Why do you ask?"

Still with her face blushing, Lindsay looked down at her hands, resting in her lap, grabbing the fabric of her skirt. "Then you also know his parents stayed in Italy and he...didn't have any contact to them since then, right?"

Again Mac nodded. "Yes." He watched the woman in front of him for a moment. He could feel how uncomfortable she felt. So far it had barely happened he and Lindsay had spoken alone. Usually Danny had always been there as well and they had exchanged a few words when she had visited him. Now she was there because obviously she needed his help and she didn't know how to speak out what she was thinking.

"Miss Monroe, what can I do for you?" he asked then softly. "Obviously Danny has opened up to you about his past. You came here because you wanted to talk to me. If I can help you with something, just feel free to share it with me."

Lindsay looked up at him, her face still bright red. She hated it when she felt unsure and hesitant like that. But she was old enough to ask for something she wanted.

"It has been hard for him to leave his family behind in Italy," she said then. "From own experience I know how difficult it is to be apart from someone you love." She stopped again, once again hesitant. This talk was turning personal. Still she had a clear goal though and she was determined to get it. "My mother moved back to Montana when I was a child. It was a hard time and it makes me sad I don't have contact to her. I can only imagine how he must be feeling, without his family being near. He doesn't even know if they're alright or where they are. So I though I could ask you...is there a way we could find out where his family is? Is there a way to contact them again?"

Finally she had spoke it out. Lindsay didn't know if there was any way to get in contact with Danny's family in Italy. Ever since he had told her about his family the night before she couldn't stop thinking about them. He had had to go through a lot in the past, had still almost been a child while having to live in the streets of New York with his family so far away. She hadn't dared to ask him whether he had tried to get in contact with his parents or not or if he even wanted that, not wanting to hurt him with bringing back even more memories. The plan was always present in her mind though and when she had woken up in the morning, she had decided to go to Mac and find out which opinion he had regarding her ideas.

"There are indeed ways to find out where they are and to contact them again," Mac asked, still with a surprised expression. "I have to say I think that's a very kind idea of you, that you want to contact his parents."

"Do you think he even wants to contact them again?" Lindsay asked insecurely. "I'm sure he also knows there are ways to contact his parents but so far he obviously didn't even try that."

Mac nodded. "That's true, but I think this has rather to do with the fact he's scared."

"Scared?" Now it was Lindsay's turn to look surprised. "But why?"

"Because of what he might find out," Mac answered. "Remember there was a huge war back then. No one knows how many people survived it. And no one knows if those people who survived started a new life."

Lindsay had to admit Mac was right. Of course she could understand this might be a reason to be scared about. "I don't think they started a new life and don't want any contact to their children though," she said then. "Especially not after trying everything to protect them."

"On that I agree with you," Mac replied. "So what do you want to do? Do you want us to try and find out where they are, if they're alright and try to contact them?"

Lindsay's eyes widened. "You would help me with that?"

Again Mac nodded. "Yes. I think it's a very good idea. I dearly hope we won't find out any bad news, which would be difficult to either hide in front of him or confront him with without his wish to even know about that. Then again I know he's still missing his family and it would possibly be good for him to have some information about them. Even if we only find out how they have spent the last few years. And who knows, maybe we can get in contact with them and could even make them write to him or something like that."

"That would be so wonderful," Lindsay said. "But isn't that going to be difficult?"

"It won't be easy, but I think together we might be successful," Mac answered.

Hearing his answer, Lindsay smiled relieved. "Mr. Taylor, I can't thank you enough for doing that. If there is anything I can do for you in response..."

"You don't have to do anything for me," Mac replied. "Although...there might be something anyway..."

"Whatever it is, I would love to do it," Lindsay answered curiously. She was always glad when she could give something back.

Mac smiled. "You're close to Miss Bonasera, aren't you?"

Lindsay didn't need to hear more. She understood. "I will see what I can do," she answered, winking at him.

---------

"Are you alright?" Flack asked Danny, who was sitting across of him, a bit looking like he was going to fall asleep every moment.

"What? Sure, why?" Danny asked back.

"Because you're looking quite sleepy," Flack answered. "Did you have a rough night?" With a light smirk, he added, "Did Lindsay stay at your place again?"

Rolling his eyes, Danny sighed. "You know we don't do anything like that."

"Yeah, for whatever reason," Flack said, playfully shaking his head. "It's not like you never did before..."

"Don, please," Danny interrupted his friend. "I'm not asking you about your relationship either, do I?"

Flack raised his hands in defense. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get too personal. But what else happened?"

Once again Danny released a light sigh. "Lindsay and I have been talking a lot last night. I've...told her about how I've actually come to New York."

"Really?" Flack looked at him surprised. "So you told her everything? How you came here from Italy and that you were homeless for a while and how you got your job and everything?"

Danny nodded. "Every single detail."

"And what did she say?" Flack wanted to know.

Despite himself, Danny couldn't help but blush lightly. "She said she's proud of me because I managed to handle all that."

Flack smiled. "I could have told you that earlier, Danny. I always knew she would react like that." He wanted to say more, but was interrupted when Mr. Angell arrived at their table.

"Here are your coffees, guys," he said friendly.

"Thank you, Mr. Angell," Danny said.

Mr. Angell playfully rolled his eyes. "When will you ever learn to call me Cliff?"

Danny laughed. "Possibly never."

Mr. Angell smiled. "Is there anything else I can do for you guys?"

Flack shook his head. "But...uh, Mr. Angell...isn't Jessica at work today?"

"Oh, she is, but I told her to work in the kitchen today. I needed her help there," Mr. Angell answered before he left the two men alone again. Flack only nodded in response; something Danny of course instantly noticed.

"Is everything alright with you?" he asked. "You don't look that fine either. Is everything alright with you and Jessica?"

It was Flack's turn to sigh. "I think so, yes." He blushed lightly. "She told me all she wants is me, which was wonderful to hear. But...you know her father. And her brothers. He wants to choose the perfect man for her. I'm not sure I'm that kind of a man."

Danny raised his eyebrows at his friend. "Don, he even wanted me to marry Jessica. He only changed his mind because he realised we're nothing more but friends. Why shouldn't he like you as his daughter's partner? All he wants is his daughter to be loved by someone and who could be better for that than you?"

Flack shrugged. "I hope you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Like you were right about what Lindsay would think about my past," Danny replied, winking.

Flack sighed. He knew he shouldn't be too worried. He knew his girlfriend loved him and wanted no one else but him. Still he felt nervous and couldn't change that.

---------

When Danny arrived at home in the evening, Lindsay was already awaiting him. It took her a lot of self control to hide her nervousness. She was a bad liar and when she was hiding something, she was always afraid she could reveal the secret. She and Mac had agreed to not tell him about their attempts at finding his family; to prevent him from being disappointed for the case it wouldn't work.

When Danny walked into the bedroom where Lindsay was waiting for him though, she instantly saw he was too exhausted to even try and suspect anything was on.

"Hey," he greeted her sleepily.

"Hey," she greeted back. "You look like you had a hard, long day."

Danny nodded. Sighing deeply, he removed his shoes and jacket and simply dropped down onto the bed next to her. He crawled up to her and she closed her arms around him in a comforting embrace.

"You have no idea how good it feels to know you're here," he told her, cuddling against her. "It feels good to have you here, like your family being at home, welcoming you after a hard day. Thanks for always being here."

"I love being here for you," she replied, placing a gentle kiss onto the top of her head.

While Danny cuddled closer against her, Lindsay gently ran her hand through his hair, thinking. Although it wasn't going to be easy, she was convinced hers and Mac's plan was a good idea.

**Preview: Flack meets Jessica's father again. Danny and Lindsay share a romantic moment.**


	17. Love Is In The Air

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the sweet feedback and reading the story! I'm so happy to know you're all still reading and enjoying this fic. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, lily moonlight, Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, California-Italian, Montana Angell and Hylen! Also check out the newest update of 'Big Sky Country' by RoseBrina (lily moonlight and me)!  
**

**Chapter 17: Love Is In The Air**

Usually Flack didn't like to get up early. If it was up to him, he wouldn't get up earlier than midday. This possibly had to do with the fact that he liked to go to bed late, so he was tired in the morning. He preferred to be woken up by his stomach telling him he needed food, not by his alarm telling him duty was calling.

Since Flack was together with Jessica though, a lot had changed. Usually enjoying the quiet of his apartment after a stressful and long day of work as a policeman, he now found himself longing for some kind of closeness after such a day. So he barely stayed alone at evenings and nights and instead headed over to his partner's place whenever his shifts allowed it. Sometimes she also stayed at his place. But it didn't matter where they spent time; as long as they spent time together, he was happy. It felt good to know there was someone who enjoyed being around him so much, who was there to cheer him up when someone had gotten on his nerves again and who was even willing to cook dinner for him after having a long day herself.

But although Flack was happy with his relationship, it was also what was keeping him worried the most. He knew how important Cliff Angell's opinion was to Jessica. She wanted her father to be happy, as much as she wanted her four brothers to be happy. Flack knew the man wanted nothing else but his daughter marrying the perfect husband. A man he wanted to choose himself. And so far Flack didn't know he was even close to being this one.

Of course Flack knew Jessica was serious when she told him she wanted no one else but him. He knew she loved him as much as he loved her. He knew she wanted no one else. Still Flack was certain that the moment Cliff Angell would find out that he had a secret relationship with Jessica, the older man would cause serious problems for him.

But backing off, looking for someone else? This was no option for Flack. Of course he could simply listen to Danny, who kept on telling him Cliff would agree he was the perfect man for Jessica. But he was someone who needed facts. He wanted to be the one Cliff chose for his daughter. And to get to this point, he needed to show this man what a good kind of a man he was.

So Flack hadn't stayed in his bed as long as he usually did before he had to leave for work. Instead he was already wandering through the still quite empty streets of New York, on his way to a special café. From Jessica he knew Cliff always opened his café and his restaurant himself early in the morning, to make sure everything was alright. Possibly this was the best chance to have a little chat with the man.

When Flack spotted Cliff, just opening the entrance door of his café, he couldn't prevent his heart from beating faster. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, failing on calming himself down. He wouldn't turn around and run away though. This man was the father of the woman he loved and he wasn't going to mess this up. And so he kept on walking.

"Good morning, Mr. Angell," he greeted when he arrived at the café.

Cliff looked up surprised, giving Flack a friendly smile when he recognized him. "Good morning, Mr. Flack. Nice to meet you. I was just about to open my café. You came here for a coffee already?"

Flack nodded. "Yes. My shift starts early today and what is better than to start the day with a coffee made by the one and only Mr. Angell?" He winced lightly at his own answer. Possibly it was a bit over the top. The older man smiled at him though and laughed.

"That's very friendly of you, Mr. Flack. It's always good to hear people like my coffee. Just come in," he said.

Nodding, Flack followed Cliff into the café. It was a strange look; empty and quiet. Flack couldn't help but blush lightly at the thought of how many times he had visited Jessica late after work, when the café already was that empty and quiet. How many times they had been here, kissing and enjoying they could have some quiet minutes before they'd go home. Those moments were something special and exciting and he dearly hoped Cliff wasn't aware of them.

A few minutes later, Flack was sitting at one of the tables, a mug filled with steaming hot coffee in front of him. He couldn't really enjoy it though; Cliff was sitting across of him after deciding that the two men could spend the time until the first guests arrived with a little conversation. Flack didn't know what to say, afraid he could reveal something he didn't want to reveal. Still he knew this was the chance to get to know the other man better. But before he could come up with anything to start the conversation, if was Cliff who spoke.

"Mr. Flack, I have to say I'm glad to have you and Danny as my customers," he said.

"Oh, you're welcome," Flack replied, blushing a bit. "Well, you make the best coffee in town."

Cliff laughed. "That's good to know. But I'm serious. I like you guys to come here. I also get the feeling Jessica is very happy about your visits as well, Mr. Flack."

Almost choking on his coffee, Flack cursed himself for blushing even more. "Oh, I...have no idea, Sir."

"It's true," Cliff replied. "Whenever you walk through this entrance door, she starts to smile, brighter than the sun. She's always so eager to be the one to bring you your coffee. She really seems to like you."

"Well, I like her as well. She's a nice and friendly person," Flack answered, hoping he wasn't already revealing too much.

"Just like you," Cliff told him. He hesitated for a moment before he continued, "Mr. Flack, I'm not sure I'm asking for too much here but...I like to see how my daughter acts around you. She seems to like you a lot and it's nice to know you like her as well. So I was wondering if you wouldn't like to come over here next Sunday. The whole family will meet for lunch here and I would be happy if you could come as well."

For a moment Flack wasn't sure if he had understood correctly. Did Cliff Angell just invite him over for lunch with the whole family? He was stunned. But of course he also saw the chance and he wasn't going to ruin it.

"I would be honoured if I could come as well, Mr. Angell," he answered.

"Wonderful," the older man replied. "And please, call me Cliff. Possibly you could also tell your best friend to do that, too."

Flack blushed even more. "I will. And you please call me Don."

"Alright, Don," Cliff replied, smiling at him warmly. "I see you on Sunday then."

Flack nodded. He was still too stunned to really understand what had just happened. He had been invited to having lunch with Jessica's family. Who would have expected that? He surely not.

--------

It was very early when Danny woke up. Like every morning it took him a bit to realise where he was and what time it was. At least he hadn't been woken up by the alarm; something he disliked a lot. Instead he found himself lying in his bed, his girlfriend cuddling against his side, her arms tightly wrapped around him. This was the way he liked to wake up.

In silence he watched her for a while. He knew she didn't really like it when he was watching while she was asleep, but he couldn't help it. Danny just found that Lindsay looked adorable like that. She looked so sweet he could barely prevent himself from just kissing her, all over her face. He also had a hard time with keeping his hands off her, which was getting worse with every day. The worst was he already knew how it felt like to run his hands over her silky skin and feelings hers on his. He knew how she felt like, how she sounded like, how she tasted like and the simple thought of that was driving him crazy.

Deep in his thoughts, he once again didn't notice her waking up. He only snapped out of his thoughts when he felt her move and when he looked down at her, he found her glancing up at him.

"Good morning," she said softly, yawning lightly.

"Good morning," he greeted back, having a hard time with resisting the urge to kiss her. Feeling like this currently would it make even harder for him to not take advantage of the situation.

But obviously Lindsay had other plans. Obviously she had the same wish and before he could stop her, her lips already were on his, kissing him. At first it was a kiss like every other kiss they shared. It quickly heated up though and a moment later he found her pressed against him tightly, only causing his already desperate body to long for being even closer to her. He almost cursed himself when he managed to break the kiss and gently pushed her backwards again. The confused look she gave him almost made him regret it though.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, the look she gave him making him even more nervous.

"No, of course not," he replied quickly. "It's just...don't get me wrong, but...if we don't stop that now, this might...get a bit out of control."

The change in her gaze revealed she understood. Her answer though surprised him. "And who cares?" she wanted to know.

"Uh...well, I'm not sure, I mean..." he stammered, not sure what exactly he wanted to say.

"What?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him. "Danny, it wouldn't be the first time we'd do that, right? It's not like I'm a virgin and you promised to wait till we got married. You remember what we even did in your office?"

Despite himself, Danny blushed lightly. Of course he remembered and he couldn't deny he was more than surprised she talked that easily about this topic. He was also surprised he himself felt so strange with it. Of course she was no virgin anymore and she was right, it wasn't like they had never done it before. They had already slept with each other, and not only once.

"But...I mean, aren't you women supposed to wait with that until you get married?" he asked.

Lindsay rolled her eyes at him. "If that's what you're worrying about, then you're a little late with that."

Danny sighed. "But...your father. I mean..." He stopped when he saw how her eyes widened.

"My father?" she repeated. "Danny, I really don't think my father will find out whether we're sleeping with each other or not. He doesn't even know I'm staying at your place, which actually I'm also not allowed to do. We're adults, aren't we? And coincidentally I know you're really no innocent guy who can say that about himself."

"You know with you it's different. With you it's a serious relationship," Danny replied, still quite unsure why he kept on blushing. So far she had just been right with everything she had said. "But if that's all no problem for you, then why are you so hesitant yourself?"

Now it was Lindsay's turn to blush. "I might be no virgin anymore, but for the case you forgot, you're my first one...you know. And don't look at me like that, you know I never slept with a man before you, I told you so. You've been the first and only man for me, so it's no surprise I'm nervous, right?"

Danny had to bite his tongue to not grin all over his face. He found her adorable when she was blushing, but he also knew she hated it when she felt embarrassed, like now. "You really have no reason to feel nervous or something," he answered then, not able to prevent himself from smirking lightly. "I mean, the few times we were together, it was..."

"Danny!" she exclaimed, smacking his arm. "I want us to stop acting like we have to wait till the wedding, but I'm not going to have such a talk with you now. That's not funny!"

But Danny couldn't help but laugh; for several reasons. Her expression, a mix of anger, embarrassment and amusement was just too cute. He was also relieved by her answer. He knew she was right; it made no sense to pretend they weren't going to touch each other although this was what they had done already in the past. And her father? Dr. Hammerback wasn't even supposed to know they spent the nights at his place, if they were correct. So this was just another thing he wouldn't hear anything about. There was no need to hide what they were feeling.

"Great, you killed all the tension now," she complained, again smacking his arm.

"Oh yes? Did I?" Danny asked back and before she could respond, he grabbed her around her waist and rolled them over, pinning her into the mattress. He chuckled at the gasp that escaped her lips and the surprised look he gave her. He looked at her for a few moments before he added, "Are you really sure about that?"

"You should know the answer already," she replied, gently running her hands up his chest.

Smiling in response, Danny bent down to kiss Lindsay. Neither of them knew how much closeness society would allow them, then again they also didn't really care. They were together and in love. They weren't doing anything wrong. And so they simply gave in to their feelings for each other and enjoyed the intensity of their relationship.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay support Mac and Flack.**


	18. Everyone Needs Good Friends

**Author's note: Wow, thanks again for all the lovely reviews! I'm so happy you still like the story. Also thanks to everyone for reading it! Special thanks to sucker-4-SMacked, Hylen, Desiree1989, SMacked Hard, lily moonlight, saturn567 and Montana Angell!**

**Chapter 18: Everyone Needs Good Friends**

"Hello, Mr. Taylor," Lindsay greeted when she entered Mac's office. It was lunch break again and because Danny had been picked up by Flack to go to have lunch together because his friend had something he had to talk about, she used the chance to work on her newest plan with her partner's boss.

"Good morning, Miss Monroe," Mac greeted her, immediately with a smile on his lips. He always smiled when the young woman entered the room. She was usually always in a good mood, always smiling herself. One couldn't help but be in a good mood around her. "I was hoping you'd come around today, because I got a telegram today."

"Oh, a telegram?" Lindsay was surprised. "And what does that have to do with me?"

Mac laughed. "Have a seat, Miss Monroe. The telegram came from Italy. There might be a few hints about the whereabouts of Danny's family."

"Those are wonderful news!" Lindsay exclaimed. "May I see it?"

"Of course." Mac handed the paper to her.

Taking it from him, she leant back in her chair and started to read. Like Mac had told her, the person in Italy he had managed to contact and told him he was getting closer and closer to finding out about the whereabouts of the family. Mac watched her while she was reading, noticing how her expression became more serious with every word. She was thinking about something; he could feel it.

"Those are wonderful news," she said, smiling. "Hopefully we'll hear more soon."

Mac nodded. "Is everything alright?" he asked then. When Lindsay looked at him in surprise, he added, "Not that I want to interfere, but I have the feeling there's something."

"Is that the private investigator in you that noticed that?" Lindsay answered, trying to smile. She knew Mac knew more about her than she wanted to. He had this gift to practically read people's mind. He knew what she was thinking and feeling, without her needing to say it. Briefly she wondered whether she should just come up with an excuse, but somehow she couldn't.

"It's just...when I found out that he has no contact to his family, I...could really imagine how he must be feeling," she answered, blushing lightly. "There are many moments when I'm thinking about my mother and wish she was here instead of so many miles away. Still I have my father here though, and he?"

"He has you," Mac answered warmly. "May I ask why your mother isn't living here, together with you and your father?"

"Of course," Lindsay replied. Still blushing, she ran a hand through her curls nervously, chuckling lightly. "Well...I'm sorry for being nervous, I just usually don't talk much about my family."

"That's alright," Mac said. "You don't have to change that now."

But Lindsay shook her head. "No, possibly it's not that bad of an idea." With a light smile she said, "A wise man once told my boyfriend that talking helps."

Mac smiled. "That's true I think," he agreed.

Lindsay closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before she started to talk. "Actually I was born in Montana. We lived in a small town, my parents owned a farm there. My father was working as the doctor in the town." A light smile lit her face at the memory. "It was a wonderful time. I could always help my mother on the farm. I loved to ride, I even had my own horse. I loved to help her with the animals, with making bread and other stuff we sold in the town. I was allowed to walk around the farm by my own. It was a great time."

For a moment she smiled happily, remembering the years of her early childhood. Then her face turned serious again. "But one day my parents decided to move. As wonderful as everything was on the farm, it was hard and difficult as well. There were times when they didn't know how to pay for food. My father didn't want us to be hungry though and so he decided we should try it in New York. Over here he quickly found a good job and within no time he turned into one of the most famous doctors in the city. Since then we didn't have to worry about money anymore. Doesn't mean everything was good though."

She stopped. Mac could see the first tears glistering in her eyes. Briefly he wondered if he should tell Lindsay she didn't have to tell him more, but he got the feeling that maybe this was exactly what she needed now; talking to him.

"Back home we really didn't have much money," Lindsay continued then. "But at least there were times we could spend together. In New York my father was busy with his job though. My mother couldn't handle that anymore one day. They had several fights because of that, but my father couldn't just reduce his working hours. He said he didn't want us to suffer and wanted to keep on making all that money. My mother decided to move back to Montana then. I stayed with my father and she moved back home."

Mac had listened to Lindsay's story without interrupting her. Now he could see the first tear rolling down her cheek. If she had been a client he would have said a few calming words. Lindsay wasn't a client though. She was the great love of his colleague and friend and he liked her a lot himself. Reaching out, he gently took her hands into his, squeezing them lightly.

"This must have been difficult for you," he said.

Looking up at him, Lindsay tried to smile, blushing lightly. "Yes, but it's fine. Compared to the fact that Danny had to move into another country and was all by his own, this is nothing. I shouldn't be sitting here, crying. I'm sorry."

Mac knew this behaviour all too good. For a moment only she had allowed herself some weakness. Now she felt embarrassed because of that and tried to change the situation with pushing those feelings away. He had witnessed that a couple of times with clients.

"Miss Monroe, there is no need to apologize for anything," he answered. "Don't compare your past to anyone else's. For you it was painful and for everyone else it would have been as well. I'm not surprised you're missing your old home. The life you had in Montana was very different to what you have now."

"But shouldn't I be happy?" Lindsay wanted to know. "Shouldn't I be glad I was allowed to stay here? I always had enough to eat, even got my own apartment. I can even study now, what's practically impossible for a woman. I should be grateful and not be crying here."

"Do you miss your mother?" Mac asked. Lindsay stared back at him for a moment, a new tear rolling down her cheek.

"Yes," she answered quietly, looking away to hide the tears that were following.

"Of course you're missing her," Mac said, still holding her hands in a gesture of support. "It's painful to not be around someone you love. It doesn't matter whether the person lives miles away in a different state, or in another country. Believe me, Miss Monroe. I know how you're feeling and believe me when I tell you it's alright to cry. No one has the right to judge."

Lindsay nodded in response. "Thank you," she answered then, this time with an honest little smile. "I know...it's not my business, but...is there someone you're missing as well?"

Mac had expected this question to be asked. Although he still had a hard time with talking about Claire, he wouldn't have made his former statement if he wasn't willing to answer this question. She had been surprisingly open and honest to him, so would he.

"I was talking about Claire, my wife," he told her. "She died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry," Lindsay replied. "Mr. Taylor, if you don't want to..."

But this time it was Mac who shook his head. "It's alright. She has been on vacation and came back with a fever. I always blamed myself for that. Why did I even allow her to go on vacation for example."

"But it wasn't your fault, no one would have expected that," Lindsay said. Mac nodded.

"I know that now. It took me a long while. Still I'm missing her though and I know this will never completely change. What I know is that you shouldn't push people around you away. It's not easy, but it's important to open up to your friends," he explained. "You should never be afraid to ask for support. People who love you won't have a problem with that. And as important it is to allow yourself to cry. Most people think that crying makes you weak. I would rather say if you never cry it makes you cold. Allow yourself to admit what you're feeling. Of course it's painful to cry, but afterwards you're feeling better."

Listening to Mac, Lindsay couldn't deny he was right with everything he had just explained to her. Danny had already told her about Mac's former wife Claire, but Lindsay had never talked to his boss about that herself. There was another question that had found its way into her mind now though and carefully she tried to find an answer for it.

"You still love her, don't you?" she asked.

Mac nodded. "And always will. Claire was my great love. There is no way this will ever change. I will never stop loving her."

"I understand." Lindsay hesitated for a moment. She knew what she wanted to say, but she didn't want to be too obvious to not hurt him. "Mr. Taylor, of course I don't have the right to interfere, but...you know it's alright if you fall in love again in the future? No one is awaiting that you will just move on, find a new woman and marry her. You have to decide what you want yourself and no one has the right to push you. If it happens one day that you fall in love though, you should do what you just told me; allow yourself to admit those feelings. I didn't know your wife of course, but I'm sure she would agree with me. She wouldn't want her great love to be alone forever. She'd wish for you to find another person you can love. No one will ever think that you stop loving Claire. She will always be a special part of you, always will be in your heart. But this doesn't mean you aren't allowed to give love a second chance."

It was Mac's turn to look at Lindsay in surprise. He was well aware of what she was talking about. He couldn't be sure but he had the feeling that she had helped a bit so he and Stella could meet again. She knew he had feelings for her friend and wanted to answer the question that was spinning in his mind for a long while now. Was it alright to fall in love again? Deep inside Mac knew there was nothing wrong with that. Thinking about what Lindsay had just told him, he had to admit he agreed with her completely.

"Thank you," he said then, smiling at Lindsay. "I think we helped each other a lot today."

Lindsay chuckled. "I think you're right, Mr. Taylor."

"Please call me Mac," he told her, making her blush lightly.

"Of course, as long as you call me Lindsay," she replied.

Mac nodded. "I think after we clarified that, maybe we could talk about how we want to continue with our plan now."

"That's a very good idea," Lindsay agreed.

With that they turned their attention back to the letter, this time both of them feeling a lot better than earlier. Listening to the thoughts of the other definitely had helped.

-------

"What exactly are you waiting for?" Danny asked, amused watching Flack who was sitting across of him.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Flack asked back, giving his best friend a confused look which caused him to laugh.

"Ever since we arrived here, you're acting so strange, like you want to tell me something. So what is it?" Danny wanted to know. "And maybe also explain to me why we couldn't go to Angell's café but instead went to this restaurant here. You found some money you had to spend?"

Sighing, Flack shook his head. "No, I mean...ah, forget it."

If Danny had had a doubt his friend had a problem, now he was convinced by his theory. Curious, he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Don?" he asked again. "What exactly is going on?"

Flack stared back at him, thinking about how to talk himself out of this conversation. But what for? He needed to talk about what was going on inside his mind, and who was better for that than Danny?

"Jessica's father invited me for lunch next Sunday," he said then, sighing. "The whole family will meet at his restaurant and he wants me to come as well."

Danny glanced back at Flack for a moment in disbelief. Then he started to laugh. "What's it with us and the fathers?" he asked. "First Lindsay's father invites me, now Jessica's father invites you. And what did you answer?"

"I said I'll come of course," Flack answered, his expression revealing he wasn't too happy about his own decision. "I'm not sure that was a good idea though."

"And why not?" Danny wanted to know. "You said you want to show Cliff that you're worth to be together with his daughter. This is the perfect opportunity for that."

"The thing is he doesn't even know we're together," Flack replied. "What if he finds out we are already together? Also I don't think he'll ever want someone like me as his daughter's partner."

"I don't really understand why he shouldn't," Danny said. "It's not like he's looking for the richest of the rich. He just wants someone who he knows will treat Jessica with respect and who'll love her. I think you're doing both, so you'll be fine."

Flack still wasn't convinced. "I wish it was that easy," he sighed.

Playfully Danny rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Look, if I can handle a dinner party with those high society guys, then you'll also be able to handle lunch with the Angells. Just trust in yourself a bit more. You'll do great. And stop looking like that. You should be seeing that as a chance. Show them what a great person you are. Then they will be begging for you to visit them more often."

Although he still didn't feel relieved, Flack couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, I will try my best."

Danny nodded satisfied. He knew exactly how his friend was feeling. When Lindsay had told him about the invitation to the dinner party, he had been nervous as well. Then the dinner party had been great and he was sure Flack's lunch party wouldn't be any different.

**A/N: Danny finds out that Lindsay is hiding something and so she has to tell him about her plan. Stella appears at their place because she needs help.**


	19. Because Of Love

**Author's note: Huge thanks again for the lovely reviews and for reading! I really love working on this story and it makes me so happy to see you like what I'm writing! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, saturn567, Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, Hylen and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 19: Because Of Love**

Since she and Danny had met for the first time, Lindsay knew the man had the gift to read her mind. She knew this gift was more than helpful for his job. It made him realise when people were lying. It also made him realise when his girlfriend was hiding something in front of him and because she was a bad liar, it was even more difficult to hide information in front of him.

They were just sitting at the dining table in Danny's kitchen, having dinner. Lindsay had asked him about his day and had tried to prevent him front asking what she had been doing. Of course she should have known Danny better; he could sense she was hiding something and the suspicious look he was giving her, clearly revealed that.

"What have you been doing today?" he asked then.

"Me? Oh, nothing special," she answered, hoping she wasn't blushing already. The questioning look he was giving her, made her nervous.

"Really?" Danny raised his eyebrows lightly. "Why do I have the feeling you're hiding something in front of me?"

Being directly confronted like that, Lindsay couldn't help but blush. He knew her too good; something that could be great at times, but not when she was doing something to surprise him. Mac surely was better with hiding their little secret.

"No idea," she replied. She had to break their eye contact, barely able to handle the questioning look of him. If he kept on staring at her like that, she would open up every moment. But hers and Mac's plan was a secret and she wasn't going to reveal it yet.

"Do you think it's nice to lie at your boyfriend?" Danny asked then. Catching the sound in his voice, Lindsay looked up at him, the expression in his eyes concerning her.

"I'm not lying at you, I never would!" she answered. The situation was getting difficult for her. On the one side she didn't want to reveal what she had been doing. On the other side she was afraid he would take it personal and be hurt because of her behaviour. "Danny, I...really, I'm not lying."

"Then what are you hiding in front of me?" Danny wanted to know. "Sorry if I'm maybe a bit paranoid, but...I can feel there's something you're hiding."

Lindsay bit her lip, wondering what to respond. She wasn't someone who liked secrets, especially not in front of people she loved. Releasing a light sigh, she ran a hand through her curly hair.

"Alright," she said then. "There is something I'm hiding. It's nothing bad. Mac and I are working on something and no one is supposed to know anything yet."

"You and...Mac?" Danny asked, staring at her in disbelief. "Since when do you call him that by the way?"

"It's just easier than using the surnames," Lindsay answered. She could feel herself slowly getting desperate because of the situation. Instead of talking herself out of the situation, she was only making it worse. The look he was giving her now, was making her almost scared.

"Lindsay, I don't want to sound like I'm not trusting in you," Danny told her then and she could hear he was trying hard to control his voice. "But I really would like to know what you and Mac are doing together. Please."

Lindsay could understand he wasn't happy about any information that was hidden in front of him. When she realised what Danny was really suspecting though, she stared at him in shock.

"You...you don't really think I'm...cheating on you with your boss?" she wanted to know, the sound of her voice increasing until she was almost yelling. "Do you seriously think I would do that to you?"

"I didn't say that," Danny answered.

"But that's what you were thinking!" she yelled. Immediately she blushed though. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be yelling. I know a woman doesn't have the right to yell at her partner."

Danny sighed. "Don't start that again. I don't care about that stupid 'the man has to control his woman' stuff." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry I made you feel like I'm not trusting in you. I do. I just...it's making me nervous when someone has secrets in front of me and I would like to know what it is."

"Danny, I...really don't know if that's a good idea," she said hesitant. He raised his eyebrows lightly.

"It's not some kind of a birthday present, right?" he asked back.

Lindsay blushed lightly. "No, it's not."

"Then tell me what it is now."

Lindsay knew Danny trusted in her. She was also convinced he would never think she would cheat on him. Still she could feel how insecure and worried he was about whatever she was hiding in front of him. If she was honest to herself, keeping this secret to herself also got more and more unbearable for her.

"Danny, Mac and I are working on something together," she decided to tell him then. "I...can't stop thinking about that you have no idea where your family is and how they are. I went to Mac and...asked him if there's a way to find them in Italy. We're working on that right now. I...I didn't want you to know because I...was scared whether you would like to know more about them or not. And...for the case we don't find any answers. I didn't want you to be disappointed."

After the secret was out, Lindsay stared back at the table again. She was scared of his reaction. Would he be disappointed? Or angry? Would he yell at her for interfering instead of minding her own business?

"I'm sorry," she whispered, already shivering lightly. She didn't dare to look him into the eyes, afraid what she would see in them.

"Why did you do that?" he asked after a few minutes of silence. To Lindsay's surprise his voice was calm; completely different from what she had expected.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." she started again, but he interrupted her.

"No, I didn't tell you to apologize. I just want to know why you did that," he said. "And look at me."

Looking up, Lindsay's eyes met Danny's. She was even more surprised to not find the slightest bit of anger in them. The sudden mention of his family had a clear affect on him, still he didn't seem to be mad at her.

"I did it because I...know how hard it is when you can't be together with your entire family," she started to explain. "But you don't have any family members here, you don't even have any information about them. I know it's your business and you should decide whether you want to change that or not. But I love you and I was thinking maybe you would like to find out how they are, just didn't dare to look for them yet. I wanted to surprise you for the case we got good news. I'm really sorry."

Finally having the courage to look at him, Lindsay kept her eyes locked with Danny's waiting for a response. He was looking back at her and she felt like she could almost see the thoughts running through his mind. Still he didn't look like he was angry, but this didn't mean he couldn't be feeling like that inside.

"You don't have to apologize," he answered then. "I even have to admit I find it a wonderful gesture of you that you're trying to find my family for me. You're right when you're saying that I've been afraid to look for them. I didn't know what would happen if I got...not so nice news."

"That's why Mac and I didn't want you to get involved," she said quietly. "I don't want to cause false hopes."

But Danny shook his head. "That's not going to happen. I'm rational enough." He stopped again. Lindsay could feel there was more he wanted to say but didn't dare to ask. Knowing him almost as good as herself, she was well aware of what he wanted to know though.

"We just started so we didn't find out that much yet," she said softly. "But Mac got a note that the person he contacted has a hint to where they might be. We might hear again from him soon."

"Do you know if they're still...?" Danny started.

"I can't tell you for sure of course. According to the letter the chances are very high though," she answered.

Danny nodded in response. Again he was silent. Lindsay watched him closely. She could see the emotions the news had caused inside him in his eyes. Once he had told her he could read in her eyes like in an open book. To her it was the same with him. There was pain because of all the years they had been apart. There was also hope that possibly he would finally get the answers he was wishing for so much.

"Thank you for doing that for me," he said all of the sudden, causing her to look at him in surprise.

"You're...thanking me?" she asked disbelieving.

Danny nodded. "I'm thanking you for making the step I've been afraid about all the time. I'm still afraid, but I'm glad you made this decision to look for them. It doesn't matter what we'll find out, I'm just hoping to get any news about my family." He smiled at her warmly and added, "That you couldn't stop thinking about how I'm feeling and couldn't help but try to find information together with Mac reveals a lot about what you're feeling for me. Thank you."

Once again blushing, Lindsay couldn't hold back the sigh of relief that escaped her lips. "You know I love you. I just want you to be happy," she replied. She noticed how Danny's smile widened. Reaching across the table, he took her hands into his, gently squeezing them.

"I love you, too, and I hope you know that," he answered. "There was no reason to be afraid of what I would say about yours and Mac's plan."

"I couldn't know it for sure though," Lindsay said.

"Of course you couldn't," Danny agreed. "But you have an instinct and your instinct told you it would be alright. Listen, I think as long as you listen to your heart, you won't have to worry. That might sound a little strange, but I think there is a connection between us that allows us to know what is good for the other and what isn't. So there is no need to worry."

Lindsay couldn't deny his explanation made a lot of sense. There was a special bond between them and if she was honest, deep inside she had felt her decision to try and contact his family was right. Her instinct hadn't fooled her. The knowledge of that was a great relief for her.

"If you learn more, you'll let me know?" Danny asked. "No matter what you find out."

Lindsay nodded. "Of course."

He smiled gratefully. "Thank you." Danny continued to eat for a few minutes while Lindsay watched him. She knew he was thinking about what they had been talking about. She could imagine what he was feeling; a mix of both, nervousness and excitement. She also knew him good enough to know when to drop a topic and now was the right moment for that.

"Did anything interesting happen today?" she asked then.

"Oh, yes," Danny answered. A grin lit his face. "You won't ever guess what Don told me today. Cliff Angell invited him for lunch at the weekend."

"What?" Lindsay's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, I didn't know that. Jessica didn't mention it."

"Possibly she didn't know," Danny suggested. "He's a bit nervous. Then again I was as well and if I could handle this dinner party, he will be able to handle the lunch as well."

"Definitely," Lindsay agreed. She wanted to say more but was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Surprised she looked at Danny. "Are you awaiting anyone?"

Danny shook his head. "Not that I know of. Let's just ignore it."

Lindsay rolled her eyes at him. "You can't just ignore it, maybe it's important."

"But I'm just having dinner," Danny complained, pointing at his still filled plate.

"So you want me to open the door for you? You're not acting like a gentleman here," Lindsay replied playfully.

"You could just ignore it," he said, but she had already gotten up and headed to the door. She wasn't sure who could be visiting them that late, but the person she found in front of the door was the last one she had expected.

"Stella?" Lindsay was surprised to see her friend. "Hey! How...did you know I'm here?" Once again she couldn't help but blush lightly. Actually she had been sure everyone of her friends thought she spent the evenings at her own place.

"Lindsay, I know you. You're my best friend," Stella answered, embracing her. "I know you and Danny want to be together as much as possible. In my eyes there is nothing wrong with that. I promise I won't say anything though." She paused briefly, throwing a quick glance into the apartment before she turned back to her friend. "Am I disturbing?"

"No, Danny is just having dinner. Come in," Lindsay said, stepping aside.

"Are you sure?" Stella asked hesitant, but Lindsay nodded.

"Of course," Lindsay replied. She led her friend into the kitchen where Danny was still eating. Obviously he had overheard the conversation because he didn't look surprised at the sudden visitor.

"Would you mind if Stella and I go into the bedroom for a while?" Lindsay asked him.

Danny shook his head. "After not being a gentleman earlier, I will be nice and wash the dishes while you're in there."

Chuckling in response, Lindsay led Stella into the bedroom. The two women closed the door and sat down on the bed. Although Stella hadn't said a single word yet, Lindsay could imagine what the conversation would be about. She didn't even have to ask why her best friend all of the sudden had decided to visit her. Stella started on her own.

"I'm really not sure what to do," she started. "It's because of Mr. Taylor. I get along with him so wonderfully, we have so much in common and everything is so perfect. But still I have the feeling that he's keeping a distance between us and I don't know how to get over it. I don't want to push him into anything he possibly doesn't want."

"Well, I don't really think he wants to keep you on a distance, he just...needs a bit more time," Lindsay answered. When she saw the look Stella was giving her, she knew she had already said too much.

"Do you know more than me?" she wanted to know. When Lindsay hesitated, Stella added, "Please, if you know more, share it with me. You know how much this man means to me and if there is any chance it might work, tell me what you know. I promise I won't reveal where I got the information from."

Looking into her friend's pleading eyes, Lindsay wondered what she should do; her earlier conversation with Danny and her honesty had been surprisingly good. She knew how much Mac meant to Stella and how much she meant to him. She realised that with the information she had now, she would be able to help the two of them a lot. And so she nodded, thinking about how to tell what she knew.

**Preview: Stella asks her best friend for help. Danny tells Lindsay she's a great friend. Flack and Jessica discuss the lunch party.**


	20. It’s All About Love And Support

**Author's note: Like always, thank you so much for the lovely feedback and of course for reading! I also want to thank afrozenheart412, lily moonlight and Montana Angell for discussing ideas with me and for all the support! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, twilighttay, SMacked Hard, Hylen, and Montana Angell!**

**Chapter 20: It's All About Love And Support**

Lindsay didn't like to talk about what Mac had told her earlier. But she knew that he wouldn't go to Stella and tell her why he was afraid of starting a relationship with her. With letting Stella know what she knew, she would be able to support her two friends and possibly help them.

"Listen, Stella, the reason why Mr. Taylor is so hesitant doesn't mean he doesn't want to be together with you. Actually it means the exact opposite," she started.

Stella looked at her friend in confusion. "What do you mean? Why should he be hesitant because he wants to be with me?"

Once again Lindsay hesitated for a moment. The way her best friend was glancing at her though encouraged her to continue.

"Did you know Mr. Taylor has been married once?" she asked then.

"No, I didn't know that," Stella answered surprised. "You said he was married? What happened to his wife?" The expression in her eyes had changed. Lindsay could see Stella already had a suspicion and obviously the suspicion alone was enough for her to feel sad.

"His wife; Claire was her name, was on vacation. She came back with a fever. Unfortunately she didn't survive it."

Getting confirmed what she had already suspected, Stella broke the eye contact to her best friend and looked down at her hands, resting in her lab. Lindsay could imagine what the other woman was feeling and thinking now. She had come to her because she was unsure about how to behave around this man who had caught her attention and who she wanted to be together with so much. Now she was finding out that Mac had been married before and the thought of what had happened to the couple was hurting her.

"I had no idea," she replied. "Oh, I wish I knew that before! How long ago did this happen?"

"A few years ago," Lindsay answered.

Stella nodded. "But a few years doesn't mean anything when you really loved someone. He loved her very much, didn't he?"

"Yes," Lindsay replied. "Yes, he loved her a lot, and still does of course. Feelings like that can't simply be switched off again. They're there and always will. She'll always be in his heart and he'll never forget her. Or what he was feeling for her."

"Of course not," Stella agreed. She was still staring down at her hands, clenching them into fists now. "Of course this explains why he doesn't want to get involved with another woman again. He's still loving his wife."

"That's not why he's hesitant," Lindsay said. She moved closer to her friend and gently rested her hands on top of hers. "Promise what I will tell you stays between us."

"Of course I promise," Stella answered, now glancing up at her friend again.

Lindsay nodded. "Alright. Well, Mr. Taylor told me that for a long time he was blaming himself for what happened to his wife. He wished he had never let her go for this vacation."

"But how can he do that? It wasn't his fault in any way. He couldn't have known what would happen," Stella interrupted.

"That is what I told him as well," she answered, smiling at her friend warmly. "He said he knows that as well now, but it took him a while to understand he couldn't have done anything different." She paused briefly, needing a moment to think about how to word what she wanted to say next. "The reason why he is so hesitant is not because he isn't willing to get involved with a woman again. He realised he is falling in love again and his first instinct was questioning whether this is right or not. He is afraid that it's not alright when he starts loving again. I think he knows now that it is very much alright though. His wife wouldn't want him to be alone forever. He will never forget her, he will always keep her in his heart, but there is nothing wrong when he falls in love again and starts a new relationship."

After her little speech, Lindsay glanced at Stella, waiting for a reaction coming from her best friend. Did she understand what she wanted to tell her? Stella was silent for a while. Lindsay could feel she was thinking about what she had just heard. After several long minutes, she looked up, her eyes finding Lindsay's again.

"So he has fallen in love again?" she asked.

Lindsay couldn't help the smile that spread over her face at her friend's careful question. In her eyes Stella had always been the most confident woman she had ever met. This was important for a woman who was on her best way to become one of New York's most famous fashion designers. Being shy wouldn't have helped her to get where she was now. She needed her self confidence, her independence and strength.

For Lindsay, Stella had always been a role model. Lindsay wished to become an independent woman, what wasn't easy in a world that was dominated by men. The fact that she was allowed to study was already something that amazed her and Stella had been one of the persons who had encouraged her to make this step and had never gotten tired of telling her to try everything to make her dreams come true; like Stella had done it herself. Lindsay had been amazed by Stella's attitude, by her strength and determination and didn't hide the wish that one day she hoped to become like this herself; successful and strong, not afraid of anyone.

The more she had to get used to another, completely new side of her best friend now. Stella had never been shy or unsure around men, she would even go so far and say that men had been unsure around her. Now, with Mac, she seemed to be different. Lindsay knew that her best friend was in love with the man, more than she had ever been in love before. There was a strong and special connection between those two, and the insecurity about whether Mac was feeling the same way made Stella hesitant. Lindsay had always hoped she would get the chance to give her best friend something back for all the help she had offered over the years since they knew each other. She was happy to see that with a few conversations, she could do exactly that now.

"Yes," Lindsay answered. "He's falling in love again. I think I don't need to tell you who's he falling in love with?"

Stella blushed immediately; again something Lindsay wasn't used to. "Are you sure about that?" she wanted to know. "Or is that just your interpreting of the things he told you?"

"I am sure," Lindsay told her with determination in her voice. "I can't tell you more details, but I know for sure that he likes you a lot and would love to spend more time with you. The reason why I'm telling you this is because I want you to know that he has the same feelings for you that you have for him. His problem is that he's hesitant. He has to understand that his feelings are alright and that he is allowed to love again. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to back off when he seems to be hesitating but instead continue getting closer to him. One day he'll stop doubting himself. I know it will happen." With a smile she added, "Do you know how you told me that Danny and I are supposed to be together and that we just had to get together? I'm feeling the same way about you and Mr. Taylor."

Once again Stella was watching her in silence. Then, to Lindsay's relief, a smile lit her best friend's face and she nodded.

"So you think I can keep on...pushing a little?" she wanted to know. "I mean, he did it himself that one day we went to the park and later to the café. Do you think it's fine if I ask him to meet me again? Maybe I could go to a show with him."

"For example," Lindsay agreed. "Or you could go out for dinner. There is nothing wrong with you doing that, Stella. Trust me when I'm telling you that he wants to be together with you. Just give it a try. You know, you're the most confident and strongest woman I ever met. Don't be shy. It will be worth it."

Stella chuckled. "I shouldn't be shy, right? I never am. I think you're right, maybe I should just give it a try." She watched Lindsay for a moment before she added, "I hope you know how much you just helped me. I was really afraid I was pushing him or that I was just imagining there is something between us. You're a wonderful friend for supporting me like this."

"Same I can say about you," Lindsay answered, blushing herself now. "I think that is what makes our friendship so special. That we can trust in each other and that we know the other one is always there for support."

"So true," Stella agreed and with that embraced her friend tightly.

--------

Stella stayed for another couple of minutes while Lindsay, after giving her some confidence back., also explained to her how she had gotten in contact with Mac. She was excited by the idea of finding Danny's family in Italy and promised to help in every possible way.

Danny, who had continued having dinner and then had kept his promise to clean the dishes, was now sitting in the living room, waiting for the two women to come out of his bedroom again. He would be lying if he said this was the way he had expected this evening to be. He didn't have a problem with Lindsay and Stella spending some time together though, knowing exactly how much support the two of them and Jessica had given each other over the years.

He hadn't been lying when he had told his girlfriend that he wasn't into the common rule of the man dominating the woman. Danny was well aware of Lindsay's wish to be an independent and strong woman. He also knew that during the time she had been forced to be together with Katums, this confidence had been hurt really badly. Thanks to her two friends, she was back to her old self now; a side of his girlfriend he loved so much.

While thinking about his beloved girlfriend, his thoughts also drifted back to their former conversation. Danny could understand Lindsay had been nervous because of the fact she had been hiding what she and Mac were doing. He had noticed she hadn't been just nervous though but quite scared as well. Scared of him and his reaction.

Remembering this, he felt himself tense. He hadn't meant to scare her with the way he had talked to her. He was used to her happy, shiny smile now. Still he had in mind how the two of them had actually met, but sometimes he tended to not keep in mind that the abusive relationship with Katums had had a lasting effect on her. She couldn't just forget the way he had treated her and her scared reactions whenever someone rose their voice at her was one sign for that. Of course he knew she didn't want to be treated carefully, but still he thought he could at least try to take care of the way he spoke to her, keeping in mind what a fight could do to her. The last thing he wanted to do was having her think that still she needed her instinct to make herself small to protect herself when she had a discussion with someone.

When the bedroom door was opened a little later and the two women left the room again, he forced himself to stay in his chair and not just jump up and ask what they had been talking about. He was well aware of how curious he was, but he couldn't help it.

"I think I might go now," Stella said when the they stepped into the living room. "I'm sorry for disturbing, Danny."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Danny answered. "Come over for a visit whenever you want to."

"Thank you," Stella replied. Turning back to Lindsay, she added, "And thanks to you, too." She embraced her friend tightly.

"You're welcome," Lindsay said with her bright smile, leading Stella to the apartment door.

A few moments later she returned into the living room. Danny found her still smiling and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at her.

"Let me guess...one of your plans just worked successfully again?" he asked.

Lindsay chuckled. "One of my plans. You're sounding like I'm manipulating people."

"That's not what I meant," he answered. When she walked over to him to sit down in the chair next to him, he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her into his lab. Closing his arms around her, he pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his head against her shoulder. "Did I ever tell you how much I love that you want everyone to be happy and that you're trying to help everyone to find their right ones?"

Lindsay chuckled. Gently she ran a hand through his short hair. "Possibly that's because I'm so happy myself and want the people I love to feel the same way. I found my great love already." She bent down to him and placed a soft kiss onto his forehead. "And now I want my friends to experience the same. I wouldn't push them into anything, but if I see there's a connection between them, I can try and help them."

"Definitely. I agree with you, my little match maker," she replied softly, kissing her shoulder.

They were silent for a moment, just enjoying the closeness they were experiencing with just sitting together, holding each other. Without even looking at Lindsay, Danny could feel she was thinking about something. He got proven right when she broke the silence again.

"Do you think I'm interfering too much?" she asked then.

Looking up at her again, Danny found Lindsay watching him, once again with a slight expression of concern in her eyes.

"Why should you?" he asked back.

She blushed lightly and looked away. "Because I know I'm interfering a lot. I made Don and Jessica meet more often. I arranged a meeting between Mac and Stella. And I started to look for your family without asking you. I...just don't want to distend it." Looking back at him, she repeated, "Do you think I'm interfering too much? Please be honest."

Danny watched her for a moment. Once again he was witnessing the two sides of his girlfriend. On the one side she was determined, had her plans and ideas and wasn't scared to put them into action. On the other side she surprised herself with her own behaviour sometimes, which made her insecure. As her partner it was his job to wipe those thoughts away.

"You know what I'm thinking?" he said then, pulling her even closer against him. "I don't think you're interfering too much. Instead I think you just really want everyone to be happy. You have this instinct that you want to help everyone. That's why you're doing it. And I think that's just wonderful of you."

Blushing more, Lindsay chuckled. "You're just too sweet." She kissed him before she added, "I'm glad you weren't mad at me."

"I could never be mad at you," Danny answered, kissing her back. There was more he wanted to say though and after a short pause, he added, "Lindsay...listen, I'm sorry, I've been talking to you like that earlier. I didn't mean to scare you with that, alright? I...was just confused. I didn't mean to scare you with the way I acted."

Lindsay looked at him in confusion. "You scared me? What are you talking about, Danny? You didn't." The fact she blushed lightly revealed that she knew very well what he was talking about though.

"Let me just tell you; I won't do that again. I will take care of the way I'm talking to you. There is no need to feel uncomfortable when we're having a discussion. I love you and I think you know that. I won't hurt you," he told her.

She looked back at him for a moment, thinking about what he had told her. Then she smiled lightly and nodded. "Thank you. And I love you, too. I trust in you and I think you know that as well."

Relieved by her answer, he nodded, smiling back at her. Lifting her into his arms then, he got up, causing her to squeal.

"I think we should go and sleep now, it's late already," he whispered into her ear.

Chuckling again, she snuggled against him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I like the idea."

With that Danny carried Lindsay back into his bedroom where they could spend the next few hours with some cuddling until they would fall asleep, holding each other in a warm embrace. He could understand her wish to make her friends as happy as she was herself. He wished the same for them.

--------

It was late and Flack was just about to go to bed. Once again his day had been long and exhausting and he was glad when he could finally lie down in his bed and sleep, hoping the next day would be a bit calmer. He was just on his way to his bedroom, when the ringing of his doorbell made him stop in his tracks. Surprised he walked over to the door to let the person in who was paying him an unexpected visit. Even more surprised he was when he saw who was visiting him.

"Jessica?" he asked, stepping aside to let her in. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still at work."

"I asked to leave earlier," she said while walking into his living room. Flack could feel she was slightly hectic, and even more confused he followed her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Yes...no," she stammered and when she turned around to him he saw her glancing at him with guilt in her eyes. "I'm so sorry my father just invited you to the lunch at the weekend."

"What?" At this point, he was completely confused. "Why...why are you sorry about that?"

Jessica sighed. "I know you've been afraid to be around my father. I can imagine you're not happy about spending so many hours together with my family. I'm sorry. If it's a problem for you, I'll tell him you can't come because you have to work."

"But...I didn't say I don't want to come," Flack stammered, not sure what she wanted to tell him. "Or...do you not want me to come?"

Jessica stared at him with surprise. "Why shouldn't I want that? I would love you to come, maybe this gives you the opportunity to see my family isn't that...scary, you know? But...I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

Listening to her answers, Flack slowly started to understand. She was scared he had just agreed to the lunch because he thought he didn't have any other chance. She knew he was afraid of meeting her family because no one knew they were together already, which could cause trouble for them. Her concern about that caused a warmth to rise deep inside him, making him step over to his surprised girlfriend and embrace her tightly.

"I want to go to this lunch, okay?" he said then, smiling at her. "I really want to. Of course I'm nervous, but I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Jessica wanted to know, still not entirely convinced.

Flack chuckled. "Yes, Jessica, I am sure, believe me. I can't wait to meet your family, even though it might be a difficult meeting with hiding that we are already together. But I'm sure it'll be great. If they're anything like you, I will love them all."

Finally believing him, Jessica smiled as well. "You're so sweet, thank you."

"You're very welcome," he answered. His smile widened when she pulled him even closer and kissed him. Of course he was nervous, but he would try his best to enjoy this meeting.

**Preview: Cliff has a secret. Lindsay talks to Stella about her relationship. Danny asks Mac for information about his family.**


	21. Being Close

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for the sweet reviews and for reading this story! Here's a new update for you! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked and Desiree1989!**

**Chapter 21: Being Close**

Cliff Angell was standing at the bar of his café, seeming like he was busy with working and now and then throwing glances into the direction of his customers. In fact he was watching his daughter Jessica. Like every day she was serving the ordered food and drinks to their customers, always with that friendly smile of hers, never getting tired of running around between the tables or explaining something to one of the guests.

One guest though got the most of her attention. Don Flack had arrived around half an hour ago. Sitting at his favourite table, he was reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. Whenever Jessica arrived at his table, he looked up, smiling at her. Of course Jessica tried to hide she was paying him more visits than necessary and that her smile was even brighter when she spoke to him. He didn't miss the sparks in their eyes when they glanced at each other.

And Cliff Angell was smiling at the sight. He knew Flack and Jessica were trying to hide their relationship in front of him and her brothers. With her brothers they had been successful, not with him though. Cliff was well aware of their relationship, so far he hadn't felt a need to announce his knowledge to them though. He was waiting for the right moment.

Of course Cliff could understand his daughter's wish to prevent him from finding out about her relationship. More than once he had made it clear that he wanted to be the one who chose Jessica's partner. He could imagine she thought he wanted to make this decision to have control over what she was doing and to make sure she was going to marry a rich man.

Those weren't Cliff's intentions though. Since his daughter's birth, he had promised to himself that he was going to find a man who was worth to be together with her. He was well aware of the fact that many men were convinced they had the right to treat their wives like slaves; slaves who had no own rights, who had nothing else to do but giving birth to their children, cooking and cleaning the house and from time to time giving them some pleasure. Cliff, who loved his daughter from the bottom of his heart, wanted to make sure that Jessica didn't accidentally fall in love with such a man. He wanted to protect her, not wanting his daughter to be someone's slave while she had this strong will to be independent; something that reminded him a lot of her mother, even though Mrs Angell always denied that.

Cliff had been watching Flack and Jessica for a long while already. Since the man had entered the café for the first time, he had expected that sooner or later, both would be attracted to each other; exactly what had happened. At first he hadn't been too sure about the relationship and more than once he had wondered whether he should interfere or not. Watching Flack for a while though and exchanging some words with the young man, he had realised that he was exactly the sort of man he had been looking for. Still he was hoping his daughter would come to him and be honest to him. Possibly lunch at the next weekend would be such a chance for that.

With a smile, Cliff watched yet another conversation between Flack and Jessica. Inviting the young man for lunch had been a good idea; he was sure about that.

---------

"Lindsay, I know I'm repeating myself here, but I never get tired of how beautiful your place is," Stella said, once again amazed by the large penthouse.

"Yes, I know, it's big," Lindsay agreed. She didn't mean to sound like she wasn't caring about the beautiful apartment at all, but she couldn't help it. Of course Stella caught the sound of her voice.

"Do you and Danny sometimes come here?" she asked. The question wasn't meant to be for getting information though, it was a gentle way to lead the conversation into the right way. Like expected, Lindsay shook her head.

"No, not really," she replied. "Would you like some tea or coffee?"

"Tea is fine," Stella answered. She was leaning in the doorway of her best friend's kitchen and was watching her. "May I ask why you guys never come here? The place is much larger than Danny's and I'm sure he'd like it here as well."

"He likes my apartment," Lindsay said. "But I don't really like to be here."

Stella nodded. "But this has nothing to do with Mr Katums anymore, right? Because this is why you moved into this apartment here in the first place." Noticing the expression in Lindsay's eyes she added, "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Of course Stella knew her best friend good enough to know that she wanted to talk about her feelings regarding her place though. Anyways she wanted to make sure her friend was aware of the fact that she wasn't going to push her. She already had a suspicion and carefully she wanted to find out if it was true.

"No, it's fine," Lindsay replied. "And it's not because of him."

Stella nodded. She had hoped to get this answer. Still she felt the strong wish to visit Daniel Katums in prison and get revenge for what he had done to her best friend. Since Lindsay had told her her father had engaged the two of them, Stella had expected that this relationship would be a disaster. Quickly she had noticed how her friend had changed with the time the longer the relationship lasted and to her shock she had found out that the man was abusing her. Carefully at first and more firmly later she had tried to make her go to her father and ask him for help. Lindsay hadn't been willing to ask him though. Today Stella understood why; she had simply been scared because of the brutal criminal.

Now she was very careful when it came to mentioning Katums, not wanting to cause memories of the horrible relationship to return. Luckily she had noticed that the strong relationship to Danny was good for Lindsay; something that caused Stella to ignore her hate for Katums and her wish to once show him how it felt like to be helpless while being beaten up. The more relieved she was that at least for her best friend's wish to not use her apartment that often, this man wasn't responsible.

"So you rather like to be at Danny's?" Stella wanted to know. When Lindsay nodded, she added, "For a special reason?"

Lindsay, whose expression had been reserved during the conversation, suddenly started to smile at the question. When she looked up at her again, Stella found sparkles in her best friend's eyes; something she had seen a lot since the young woman was together with Danny.

"I just love being at his place," she explained in an almost dreamy voice. "I told you how much I loved living at my parents' farm in Montana. In New York I never really found a place that made me feel like that. Until I spent my first night at Danny's apartment. It wasn't even during an easy situation; he was just trying to figure out how to catch Katums. But still I felt so safe, so protected and so well. It immediately felt like home. It didn't change since then. His place is smaller, that's true. But it feels more like home than any other apartment in New York could. Just because it's his, because he is there and because this apartment just seems to mirror his personality so well. I'm not so much in those large penthouses anyway. All I want is to feel home." Lindsay blushed bright red when she saw the smile Stella was giving her at her answer. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away I guess..."

"No, no, not at all," Stella replied quickly. "I think that it's such a sweet explanation for why you like to be there so much."

Stella's friendly answer and her warm smile caused Lindsay's face to redden even more. She wasn't used to being so open to people, usually she was someone who kept her thoughts and feelings to herself. With some people it happened that she suddenly couldn't stop herself. Slightly it embarrassed her when she realised how she had exposed herself to others, but people like Danny and Stella always gave Lindsay the feeling it had been fine.

"Sometimes it surprises me how much I've changed since Danny and I are a couple," she said then, chuckling.

"In a good way though," Stella told her. "You've been shy sometimes, and so reserved, always careful what to do or to say. It seems like your relationship with Danny gave you more strength and self confidence. I love to watch you interact with each other, there's so much love uniting you. It makes me incredibly happy to see my best friend feeling so good."

"Thank you." Lindsay's face was bright red now, but it didn't bother her. Her friend knew so many sides of her, so many private information that it didn't matter. "And like you want to see me happy, I also want to see you happy as well. Did you already think about how to get in contact with Mac again?"

Knowing her best friend so well, Stella had already expected a soon change of topic so the attention would be turned away from the young woman again. In some ways she had also expected Lindsay to question her about Mac again. Stella didn't mind though. She had asked her best friend for help and Lindsay had willingly offered it.

"Not yet," she answered then. "I might think about something soon."

"Maybe we can think about something together." Lindsay winked at Stella. Pouring some tea into the two cups she had set on the kitchen counter, she added, "What's better than having tea and making plans?"

Stella laughed at the answer which was so typical for Lindsay. She loved to make plans and was always getting excited when one of those plans seemed to work. Stella liked this side of Lindsay; thanks to those plans she had finally found a man she really had feelings for.

---------

Danny was standing outside of Mac's office for a couple of minutes now, unsure whether he should go inside or not. The door was half opened and he was peeking inside, finding his boss busy with a file in front of him. He had a question spinning in his mind since he had arrived at the office in the morning. Since Danny knew Mac and Lindsay were working on finding his family, he couldn't help but wonder if his boss had been successful already.

"Can I do something for you, Danny?" The voice of Mac caused him to snap out of his thoughts. Obviously his boss had noticed his presence already.

"No...well, yes," Danny answered, unsure what exactly he wanted to say. He entered Mac's office and closed the door behind him. "Alright, there is something I would like to know."

"What is it?" Mac asked without looking up from his file.

Danny hesitated for a moment. It cost him a lot of strength to make himself ask for information about something he had tried to suppress for so many years. "Did you hear...something new about my family already?"

At the question he had expected to hear the least, Mac glanced up at Danny, finding his younger colleague still standing near the door, watching him insecurely.

"Lindsay told me that the two of you are looking for them," he added. "I made her say it because I wanted to know what secret she has. She's no good liar."

Mac smiled. "That's actually a good thing." Leaning back in his chair, he watched Danny for a moment. Like he had expected he could see mixed feelings in his eyes. On the one side he was eager to get information, on the other side he was afraid of those information either. His curiosity seemed to be stronger and Mac was glad about it. For a long time now he had been wondering when his friend would finally ask those questions.

"I don't know much more yet. I know though that my informant is following hints that might lead him to your parents."

Danny nodded. Mac noticed the emotions in his eyes changing once again. Danny knew his boss; he wouldn't give him any hope if there wasn't any hope, but instead of telling him he didn't know anything about his parents yet, he had given him the prospect of possibly finding them soon. Mac could still see the doubts in his eyes, but the excitement was overpowering it currently.

"I'm glad you and Lindsay are doing that for me," Danny said then. He sat down across of Mac. "I don't really know how to thank you enough for that."

"I don't think you have to do that at all," Mac replied with a warm smile at his friend. "It was Lindsay's idea though. She really loves you a lot."

Despite himself, Danny blushed lightly. "Like I love her. I'm glad you didn't get mad at me for starting a relationship with a client though, Mac."

Mac chuckled at the memory of how he had found out that his colleague had done exactly what he hadn't been supposed to do. "You can't do anything against true love."

Danny laughed. "That's indeed true." A little more serious, he added, "I hope you know that counts for you as well. You told me it would happen to me and you were right. I told you it could happen to you again and I think I might be right as well, as long as you allow yourself your feelings."

Mac released a playful sigh. "You and Lindsay aren't just only in love, you also share your opinion."

"We just want to see our friends happy," Danny answered. When Mac didn't respond, he continued, "I'm serious here, Mac. Like you said, you can't do anything against feelings. You should listen to your own advices."

Once again Mac watched his friend. Of course he was right. He had been right when he had said Danny would fall in love and now he was in love with Lindsay and he was enjoying it. His colleague had told him one day he would fall in love again as well, and he had been right either. He was falling in love with Stella and if he was honest, there was indeed nothing he could do against it. Deep inside he knew his friends were right; he should just allow himself to give in to his feelings rather than trying to deny them. If he was honest he knew every other reaction didn't make sense at all.

**Preview: Flack goes to the lunch party. Danny meets Sid who has a surprise for Lindsay. Mac decides to follow his instinct.**


	22. Trying To Do It Right

**Author's note: Thanks for all the lovely and sweet reviews! Thanks to everyone who's reading my fic! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard, Desiree1989 and Andie24! I have a lot of plans for this fic. A lot of storylines are already planned. I hope you'll continue reading and I hope you'll enjoy them.**

**Chapter 22: Trying To Do It Right**

The rest of the week passed quickly and within no time, it was Sunday. The Sunday Flack had been nervous about for the last couple of days. It was the day where he was supposed to meet Jessica's family for lunch. So far he had no idea whether this was in fact a good idea or the worst that could have happened to him. He liked Cliff Angell, no doubts. But the question was; did his girlfriend's father like him as well?

Nervously he glanced at his watch. He was in time, even a bit too early. But he rather was too early than too late. He glanced down at the goods he was carrying; flowers for the women and cigars for Cliff. He had invested some money into those goods. Not because he wanted to buy anyone's courtesy but because he thought it was a nice gesture. He was invited for lunch by the family and so he thought he could at least have some gifts for the hosts.

When Flack arrived at the restaurant, he peeked through the large windows. So far not many guests seemed to have arrived. The only people he could make out so far were Jessica, Cliff and a woman around his age, obviously her mother. The moment he looked inside, Jessica looked up. Her eyes instantly found him and a smile immediately lit her face when she recognized him. Briefly she talked to her father before she headed over to the entrance of the restaurant.

"Hey," she greeted when she stepped out onto the street. "You're early."

"I thought I should be polite," Flack answered, smiling at her.

Briefly Jessica glanced back inside of the restaurant before she made her way over to him to give him a quick kiss. Then her eyes wandered over to what he was carrying.

"Oh, how sweet of you," she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "Don, you didn't have to do that for us. All my father obviously wanted was you coming over because he seems to like you."

"Yeah, and I thought it's only polite to bring some gifts. As far as I know, that's what you told my friend as well when he visited his girlfriend's father," he answered.

Jessica chuckled. "That's true indeed." She studied him for a moment, with a smile on her face that never failed to make him feel excited.

"You aren't nervous, are you?" she asked then.

Flack looked at her in surprise. "What do you think? Of course I'm nervous. I'm going to meet your father and the rest of your family, who isn't supposed to know we're together."

Jessica laughed. "I'm sure we'll do fine." She nodded her head towards the restaurant. "So I would suggest we go in there now."

Flack nodded. "Sure." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he followed his girlfriend. His heart immediately started to beat faster when he and Jessica walked through the entrance door of the restaurant. Cliff Angell and his wife looked up. The eyes of the older man instantly started to sparkle when he noticed his new guest.

"Look who I just found outside," Jessica said.

"Hello Don," Cliff greeted him. "You're early, that's really nice. This is my wife, Rose."

"Very nice to meet you," Flack said politely, using the chance to hand one of the flower bouquets to the woman. The other one went to Jessica before Flack gave the cigars to Cliff.

"Gifts for us? That's very friendly of you, Don," Cliff said, smiling warmly. "I'm sure the other guests will arrived as well soon. Have a seat already. Maybe you would like to sit next to Jessica?" Turning to his daughter, he added, "Jessica, show him where you're going to sit, please."

"Of course, Dad," Jessica answered. While Cliff turned his attention back to the large buffet he and his wife were preparing, she flashed Flack a warm smile. "I told you you don't have to be nervous. Everyone likes you."

Flack wasn't completely convinced yet. "We'll see about that," he said and followed her to the large dining table.

---------

"You know, we could just eat bread we have over here, right?" Lindsay asked. She was still sitting in Danny's bed, watching how her boyfriend got dressed. "You don't have to go to the bakery."

"Yes, I know, but what is a traditional Sunday morning breakfast without fresh bread from a bakery?" Danny asked back, winking at her.

Lindsay chuckled. "I don't need fresh bread, I'm fine with old bread and butter, as long as we can have breakfast together."

Danny knew how honest she was with this statement and like so many times before, Lindsay's words made him feel warm and happy inside. Not too long ago he had been torturing himself with thoughts whether he was good enough for her and if he could give her what she was used to. Quickly he had realised that all Lindsay expected from him was that he treated her with respect and that he truly loved her. Both was easy for Danny and so he had understood that he didn't have to worry.

"That's very sweet of you," he answered then. He knelt down on the bed, bent down to her and kissed her gently. "But I will go and buy something anyways. I promise I'll hurry."

"Fine." Before he could move off the bed again, she reached out quickly and closed her arms around his neck to pull him down into another kiss. "And really hurry please, alright? Apart from breakfast, there is one more thing I love in the morning and that's cuddling with you."

"Now you really don't have to worry, I'll hurry," he answered. Briefly Danny gave her another kiss before he wiggled out of Lindsay's tight embrace, knowing that if he didn't head to the bakery now, he would change his mind again.

A few moments later, Danny arrived at the street. Busy with his own thoughts he almost missed the man standing close to the entrance door of his apartment building.

"Danny?" The familiar voice caused him to stop and turn around to notice no one else but Sid Hammerback standing in front of him.

"Dr Hammerback? Uh...I mean Sid? What a nice coincidence to see you here," Danny greeted the older man. He hoped he wasn't blushing, knowing that Sid's daughter was lying up there in his apartment. To be exact in his bed.

But Sid shook his head. "No, actually I came here because I was hoping I could talk to you."

"Oh, really?" Danny looked at the doctor in surprise. "What can I do for you?" It was the first time he noticed the insecurity in the man's eyes. So far Danny had never seen Sid Hammerback insecure before. Usually it had been him who had been nervous around him. This time the roles seemed to be switched though.

"Is my daughter at your place?" Sid asked, which caused Danny to blush even more.

"Oh, uh...well," he stammered, not sure what to answer. He didn't want to lie at Sid but also didn't really want to tell him the truth. For a moment a smile lit the doctor's face.

"Don't worry, Danny," he said. "I've been young and in love myself. I don't expect that you stay at your own places, separate from each other. So, is she there?"

Danny, stunned by the fact that Lindsay's father obviously was well aware of the fact that the two of them spent more time together than they actually were supposed to, stared at the older man for a moment before he could answer.

"Oh...yes, she is. Why? Do you want to talk to her?" he wanted to know.

Once again insecurity returned into Sid's eyes. He released a light sigh before he answered, "I was hoping you could talk to her for me."

"Me?" Sid's insecurity, mixed with what he was saying, caused Danny's confusion to increase. "Of course I could do that, but...why don't you talk to her yourself? Did something happen?"

Sid nodded. It was the first time Danny noticed the envelope the man was holding in his hands. "I've received a letter. From her mother."

"Oh. I hope everything is okay?"

"Yes, of course," Sid answered. "But she hasn't written in a very long time and...I'm not sure how Lindsay will react to that. I received a letter myself and I didn't open this one yet."

Danny nodded in response. He wasn't sure what to reply to that. He had heard about Lindsay's mother and all he knew so far was that Sid's wife had left New York years ago to head back to Montana. He wasn't sure about Lindsay's feelings regarding this woman. He knew the decision to go and leave her daughter behind had hurt her though.

"You could also give her the letter yourself," Danny suggested then. "I'm just on my way to the bakery, if you have time you could come with me and then give it to her yourself."

Sid shook his head though. "I know that would possibly be what I should do but I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

Danny raised his eyebrows lightly at the answer. "But you don't still blame yourself for the fact that her mother decided to go back to Montana? It was her decision after all and if she had problems with your relationship, she could have come and talked to you about that. Even if you barely had time, she could have told you she felt lonely. It was her decision to leave though. It's not your fault. And I know Lindsay agrees with me."

Sid didn't look entirely convinced yet. "I'm not sure," he said then. "I know you're right. But...would it still be possible that you could give her the letter? Of course if she wants to talk about it with me, she shouldn't hesitate to come."

Although Danny still thought that Sid should talk to his daughter himself and not be afraid of any reaction from her, he could feel how uncomfortable the man felt with just the prospect of that. He wasn't going to push him; after all Sid had to decide himself and playing the postman wasn't anything he wasn't able to do.

"Alright then," Danny said. "I will give it to her."

A relieved smile lit Sid's face. "Thank you. If I can ever do anything for you, just let me know."

Danny nodded. "There is indeed something you could do for me. Talk to your daughter about those fears you have regarding what happened in the past. I know she's aware of that, but possibly she can convince you that you shouldn't blame yourself."

"I might do that one day," Sid answered. He handed the letter of to Danny. "Thank you for doing that."

"It's not a problem," Danny answered, taking the letter.

While both men were still standing in front of the apartment building, they had no idea that Lindsay had watched the entire scene. Like always she had been sitting at the window to watch Danny heading over to the bakery. Surprised she had noticed her father standing outside. She didn't know what the two men had been talking about. One thing she could feel though. It had to do with her and she was curious to find out more.

---------

Mac was sitting at his living room window, staring outside. It was a Sunday morning and even though he had been looking through all his files at work the day before, there was no work to be done for this day. So the day was going to be like every day off; he would stay at home or possibly go for a walk alone.

But for the first time in a very long time, this bothered him. Usually Mac was used to being alone. It didn't matter to him. He could spend a lot of time by his own; either he was thinking, or he listened to the radio or he read the newspaper. He could walk through the park or through the busy streets for hours. All by his own. But all of the sudden this wasn't enough for him anymore.

Ever since Mac had met Stella, he had realised that being alone wasn't satisfying anymore. For the first time in a very long time he had found himself feeling lonely and hadn't tried to deny it. It was the truth. How good he had felt when he and Stella had met for the first time and chatted on the bench in the park. How happy he had been when she had appeared at the office building and they had gone out for a walk. How nice it had been to go to a café with her and discover that they had so much in common.

Since Mac knew Stella, he felt better. He enjoyed her company, he enjoyed to talk to her and he loved to see how full of energy this woman was. And while a smile lit Mac's face at the thought of Stella, he remembered what both, Danny and Lindsay, had told him more than once. He should stop ignoring and denying those feelings. He should finally be honest to himself and to her. He should just give it a try and possibly allow himself to fall in love again.

For a moment Mac hesitated. Then he released a deep sigh, left the window sill and headed straight to the entrance door of his apartment. Without hesitation this time, he grabbed his jacket and left his place. Mac knew he couldn't go on like this. He also didn't want to. And so he decided to go to Stella and ask her if she had any plans for the day already.

**Preview: Cliff has a conversation with Flack about his relationship. Danny and Lindsay discuss the letter.**


	23. Family Members

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! And thank you so much to everyone who's reading the fic! I'm really getting excited that you're still reading it and I hope you'll continue reading all the storylines I've planned! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard, Desiree1989, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked, Montana Angell, Hylen and Andie24!**

**Chapter 23: Family Members**

When Flack had been invited to have lunch with the Angell family, he had expected to meet Jessica's parents, maybe also her sibling. When he had entered the restaurant, he had already been surprised by the huge amount of food and the large dining table. A short while later, he understood that what he had thought would be a small meeting was turning into something of the size of a party.

Jessica, who knew those family meetings all too good, had been concerned when she had found out her father had invited him as well. She had regretted that she had told him about his father's wish to choose the man she was supposed to be together with and marry one day. She knew he would do a lot for her, possibly everything, just to make her happy. He would try his best to not reveal they were already together and would be friendly and polite, like always. Even though she knew the family lunch meant that apart from her parents, also her four brothers, her grandparents and a couple of other family members would come.

Now they were all sitting at the dining table, chatting and eating and to Jessica's relief, Flack seemed to feel comfortable among her family. Busy with watching her boyfriend and being glad he enjoyed lunch, Jessica didn't notice that she was being watched the whole time as well. Cliff had kept a close eye on his daughter. While her four brothers and her mother were questioning Flack about his job and every possible other information that might be interesting, he was quiet and instead watched the interaction between her daughter and their guest.

What he saw was what he had expected. Cliff hadn't had a doubt about the fact that Jessica and Flack were together. The way they behaved now showed that once again. He knew they tried to hide it, but the little gestures were what gave them away. A little smile here, a glance there, a tiny, unconscious touch in between. Cliff knew what gestures like that meant. And despite what he had expected, the sight of that made him happy.

The atmosphere was perfect and everyone was getting along so well. Like usually at this time, Cliff's sons tried to outbid each other with their stories and jokes. For him this was the moment he had been waiting for. Using his chance when Flack threw a glance into his direction, he smiled and nodded towards him.

"Don, I think I have some more food in the kitchen, would you maybe like to help me?" he asked.

Jessica, who had heard the question as well and also the tone in her father's voice, combined with the fact that usually he would never ask a guest for help, looked up. Before she could contradict though, she felt how Flack rested his hand on her arm. When she looked at him, he nodded.

"Of course, Cliff," he answered then and got up from his chair to follow his girlfriend's father into the kitchen.

Cliff, who had noticed the brief exchange of looks between his daughter and his guest, could feel Flack's nervousness, which was increasing with every passing moment.

"How do you like the lunch party so far?" he asked when they entered the kitchen.

"Oh, it's nice," Flack answered eagerly. "A bit more crowded than expected, but very nice. It was very nice of you to invite me, Cliff."

"You're welcome," Cliff answered. Turning around to Flack, he added, "I just want to get to know my daughter's boyfriend better."

Hearing Cliff's statement, Flack tensed, his eyes widening in surprise and shock. He had expected the man wanted to talk to him. He hadn't expected to be confronted with a fact like this.

"Uh...what..." he started, desperately thinking about a way to talk himself out of the situation. Hesitant he looked up at Cliff, expecting to find anger in the older man's eyes. Instead he was surprised by the smile Cliff was giving him instead.

"I can imagine what you're thinking right now, Don," he interrupted. "Possibly Jessica has told you that I want to choose with who she is together. Instead she already has a boyfriend. Now you expect me to be mad at you, right? To forbid you to get anywhere close to her. Am I right?"

Flack couldn't help but blush bright red in response. "Oh, well, Cliff, I could understand..."

But again he was interrupted by the older man. "It's true," he continued. "It's true that I've planned to decide who my daughter is going to marry. Not because I want to control her though. I know what kind of men are out there and what I'm afraid of is that she finds someone who will hurt her. Jessica is a strong woman, but she wouldn't have a chance against a man who wants to have a slave instead of a wife. That's why I wanted to have a look at men she wishes to be together with. To make sure she finds someone who truly loves her, who wants to protect her."

"That's exactly what I'm doing. I love her and I want to protect her and make her happy. Nothing else matters to me," Flack answered quickly. Blushing at his emotional and honest answer, he added, "I'm sorry."

Cliff shook his head though. Instead his smile widened. "I know you do. I can see it in yours and Jessica's eyes. You love her, just as much as she loves you. That's why I wanted to introduce you to the family. And because I wanted to wait for a moment to have this conversation here with you."

Flack could only stare at Cliff in surprise. So much he and Jessica had tried to hide their relationship, still her father had found out about it. No surprise possibly, he was a protective man who kept a close eye on her. Surprised he was by what else Cliff had told him. He believed he was truly loving her.

"So you...don't mind me being together with her?" Flack asked carefully.

Still smiling at him, Cliff shook his head again. "No, not at all. Just promise you continue to make her happy like that."

Smiling as well now, Flack nodded. "I will." And with that every fear, every doubt disappeared. Cliff didn't mind the relationship. Flack knew what this meant. It meant they didn't have to hide their feelings anymore.

---------

When Danny had noticed how nervous Sid had been about giving the letter he had received to Lindsay, he had decided to do this job instead. Now, while he was on his way back from the bakery, glancing at the bright white envelope he was holding in his hands, he wasn't so sure about that anymore.

From Lindsay Danny knew that her mother had broken up with Sid because she had felt neglected and so had headed back to Montana. More than once he had tried to find out what exactly his girlfriend was feeling and thinking about this decision. So far all he had gotten had been a smile and the answer that she didn't want to think about it anymore.

But he knew her better. He knew that she had never completely gotten over the fact that her mother had simply left her and Sid alone, without clearly explaining to her why she had to stay. He could only imagine how it had hurt the young girl when her own mother had decided she rather wanted to live on a farm alone than staying in the city with her and a busy, working husband.

Danny could understand that Lindsay was confused and unsure regarding her own feelings and thoughts. How was she supposed to feel? He knew over the years she had been raised to suppress feelings that could hurt her. Possibly in this case it was exactly the same. She didn't want to admit to herself that her mother's decision was hurting her, still even after all the years. He didn't know how she would react when she would receive this letter after all those years.

He couldn't help the nervousness that was rising inside him when he arrived at his apartment building again. He knew she was waiting for him, happy and without any clue about which news he had for her. Danny hoped that there were no news in this letter that would upset her. After all the problems Lindsay had had with Katums, he didn't want her to be confronted with the next frustrating situation.

"I'm back," he greeted when he entered the apartment again. "I hope you're still awake and didn't get bored already. I'm sorry it took me so long."

Like he had expected, he found Lindsay still lying in his bed. What surprised Danny though was the questioning look she gave him when he entered the bedroom.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. The bread he had left in the kitchen. The letter, which he was still holding, he held at his side to prevent her from immediately seeing it.

"Why did my father come to your apartment building?" Lindsay asked back instead of answering the question. When Danny looked at her in surprise, she added, "I've seen the two of you down there, chatting. What was he doing here?"

On his way back to his apartment building, Danny had thought about a couple of different ways how to explain to Lindsay that he was in possession of a letter from her mother. Carefully he would have tried to establish those news to her. Being confronted with a question like this, he knew it would be easier and wiser to come to what he needed to say.

"He asked me to give you something from him. He received a letter for you," he answered and handed the envelope over to her.

"A letter? Why didn't he give it to me himself?" she wanted to know, confusion visible in her eyes. Then she read the sender and her expression changed.

"From my mother?" she asked, her voice so quiet he almost couldn't hear her.

Danny nodded. Hesitant, he watched how she opened the envelope and slowly unfolded the paper. He was unsure what to do or what to say. Although she wasn't speaking, he could feel the emotions she was fighting with. Carefully he sat down on the bed as well and moved closer to her, preparing himself for the case she needed support.

Closely he watched her while she was reading the letter. The way her expression changed during this process hurt him. Danny didn't know what was written in the letter, but he could imagine how he himself would feel if he received a letter from one of his family members. After so many years something like this could cause overwhelming emotions. Depending on what was written in the letter and whether it was of a friendly nature or not, those emotions could be intensified.

But when he saw the first tears rising in her eyes, Danny's intention to allow her to deal with the letter on her own, were quickly forgotten. Closing the distance between himself and Lindsay, he rested his arm around her shoulder and gently pulled her closer.

"Is everything alright?" he asked softly.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes, everything's fine." To his surprise he even noticed a tiny smile that lit her face when she glanced up at him and her eyes met his. It encouraged him to continue.

"May I ask what she wrote?" he wanted to know. Again she nodded and this time she gave him a true smile. Tears were running down her cheeks now and a soft sob escaped her lips. The smile on her face revealed that she wasn't hurting though.

"Mainly she apologized," Lindsay told him. "She said she's sorry because she just left without ever really explaining why. She said she didn't mean to hurt me or to make me feel like she left because of me. She said she knows that she should have talked to Dad about her feelings regarding his job and that she felt neglected. She said she shouldn't have just left us alone and she said she would love to see me again, if I wanted that as well. She wrote she thinks I might possibly be mad at her for just leaving and that she'd understand that, but that she would be glad if I could at least allow her to see me again."

Hearing her short summary of the letter, Danny felt relief rushing through him. From everything he had expected to be written in this letter, those things had been the most appreciated ones. Even though Lindsay had tried to convince him that she had accepted her mother's decision, he could feel that somehow she had wondered whether she was to blame for the woman's decision to leave her in New York, and Danny was glad she had clarified this now. He knew he could have told her a lot, but after all it had to be her mother herself who explained this to her.

"And what will you do now?" he asked. "Do you want to see her again? Or can't you forgive her that she left you here?"

"Well, my father said she did it because she wanted to make sure that I got the best education," she answered. The smile was still there, but Danny noticed a light hesitation in her voice now. "I've never been sure whether this was the truth or just an excuse. But...maybe it's why she did it?"

"There's an easy way to find that out," he replied. "Tell her you would like to meet her. If that's what you want of course. It's your decision."

"I think I can't forbid her to come to New York, right?" Lindsay said, still trying to smile, but her insecurity kept on steadily returning.

"That's not what I meant." Gently Danny held her closer and placed a soft kiss into her curly hair. "Honey, I know you tried to hide your feelings regarding this topic. I know you often wondered why she just left. She didn't try to contact you for years. It would be understandable if you're not ready to meet her yet. If you are though, you have my full support."

His loving words caused a smile to lit Lindsay's face again, much to his relief. "What would you do?" she wanted to know. Gazing up at him, her eyes found his. Danny could see the question in them and her wish to know what to do. Once again this brought him into a difficult situation. Then again he had learnt to follow his instinct, and his instinct was telling him to answer.

"I can only speak for myself, but I think I would reply and tell her you would like to see her again. This would give you the chance to talk to her. To find out how she is, what she's doing and also to show her what you've done so far." Gently he ran his hand through her curls in a loving gesture. "I know you miss her and I think it would possibly be good for you to meet her. But you have to decide what you want to do."

Lindsay didn't reply immediately, instead she thought about what Danny had answered regarding her meeting with her mother. Of course he could only make suggestions, but she knew he was possibly right. She had missed her and although she felt still hesitant, she knew she wanted to see her again.

"Alright, I think I will reply to her," she answered then. "And ask her when she'll come over for a visit."

Smiling at Lindsay and the hopeful expression that he found in her eyes now, Danny embraced her and kissed her softly. He could understand she was hesitant. After so many years it wasn't going to be easy for her to meet her mother again and still there were so many things unspoken between the two women. He was convinced that this meeting was a good idea for all of them though.

**Preview: Mac and Stella go to the park together. Danny and Lindsay talk about how much they're supporting each other.**


	24. Confidence And Strength

**Author's note: Wow, thanks again for all those sweet reviews! Thanks for reading! Special thanks to Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked, Hylen, lily moonlight, ImaSupernaturalCSI and Andie24!**

**Chapter 24: Confidence And Strength**

Mac wasn't used to feeling nervous. Usually he was strong and confident. When he made a decision, he knew it was right. Mac was never nervous, never insecure. But everything had changed when he had realised that he was seriously interested in Miss Stella Bonasera.

Since Mac had met Stella, he had been amazed by how different this woman was. If there was someone he couldn't imagined being dominated by a man, it was her. She was possibly the most confident woman he had ever met. No one was allowed to tell her what to do, no one was allowed to force her to do something or to force her to have a certain opinion. She was working as a fashion designer and long time ago had gained people's respect. No one dared to contradict her. Also she was a very good friend and he knew from Danny that many times she had been encouraging Lindsay, for example to study. Mac was even sure that if she had been the one to arrest Daniel Katums, she would have beaten him up really badly.

Stella was a woman who was very different to what Mac was used to. She reminded him of Claire in some ways; Claire had been very strong herself. Possibly this was the reason why he felt this connection to Stella now. She was a special person. And that was the reason why Mac felt nervous when he arrived at her apartment building.

But Mac was convinced to listen to what Danny and Lindsay had told him. He had to follow his heart and his instinct, and those were telling him to meet her. He didn't want anything special to happen. All he wanted was to ask her if she was in the mood for a walk in the park. And knowing Stella so far he was sure she would like to agree.

After hesitating yet another moment, he rang her doorbell. For a moment he wondered whether his idea was good or not, but changed his mind when he was allowed to enter. He pushed his doubts away. Quickly he made his way up to her apartment, finding Stella in the doorway, looking at him surprised.

"Mr Taylor," she greeted him. "What a nice surprise. I didn't expect you to visit me." She blushed lightly but hoped he didn't notice it.

"I hope I don't disturb," Mac replied politely, but Stella immediately shook her head.

"No, Mr Taylor, you never disturb," she answered. "Would you like to come in?"

"Actually I wanted to ask if you'd like to go for a walk with me? Central Park is so wonderful at this weather and maybe afterwards we could go to a nice café again for some coffee," he suggested. He couldn't deny he was quite nervous. How would she react? Would she throw him out or agree to his suggestion? The bright smile that lit her face revealed the answer.

"Oh, what a wonderful idea," she said. "Just let me quickly get my jacket and my bag and we can go. Please come in."

"Sure." Mac followed Stella into her apartment. He couldn't help the smile that lit his face. Obviously he should listen more often to his two friends, because obviously his idea had been successful.

While Stella quickly disappeared behind one of her doors, he took the place in. It was a beautiful apartment, exactly the way he had expected it. There were fabrics and a lot of other stuff she needed for making her dresses everywhere. The living room he was standing in now was lovingly and very tastefully decorated. Mac didn't know when he had ever been at a woman's place for the last time without it being about work. He also couldn't deny he felt comfortable already. Something at this place just seemed to be right.

"Okay, here I am," Stella announced when she returned into the living room again. Over her long, red dress she was wearing a soft, light red jacket now and she was carrying a red bag. A colour like that usually wasn't worn by women; it was too obvious, catching people's attention. Stella didn't mind catching anyone's attention though. She was self-confident and she didn't see a reason why she should hide. Mac agreed with that opinion.

"It's a nice idea of you to invite me for a walk," she said when she led him back to her apartment.

"You're welcome," Mac replied. He didn't know what else to say. The way Stella made him feel amazed him. He was speechless, he was nervous and excited; all feelings he wasn't used to. But one thing he knew for sure; he enjoyed the way she made him feel and he was glad he had listened to his instinct this time.

--------

Danny was lying in his bed, watching Lindsay, who was lying next to him, deep asleep. She was lying on her side, curled up in a ball, the blanket somehow wrapped around her slim figure. He couldn't get enough of that sight, of how sweet and adorable she looked like. So much he wanted to grab her, hold her, kiss her. But she needed her sleep and he didn't want to wake her up yet.

When Danny had received the letter from Sid, he hadn't been sure what to think about it. He wasn't quite sure about Lindsay's opinion regarding her mother. He had been hesitant with giving it to her. Obviously it had been a good decision though.

Danny was glad that with this letter, she had finally allowed herself to open up about all those feelings she had tried to suppress all the time. Although he and their friends always tried to encourage her to talk about what she was feeling. Too much she was used to what she had been thought; that a woman didn't show feelings. This had changed now and finally she had released what had been torturing her all the time.

Danny was convinced that if Lindsay wanted to meet her mother, she should do it. The two women had a lot to talk about and a lot to clarify and he thought such a meeting would help them with that.

Obviously the letter and the talk afterwards had exhausted her though and so she had fallen asleep again. Knowing she didn't like to sleep during the day though, he knew he had to wake her up soon. Carefully Danny reached over to Lindsay, wiping a few curls out of her face. She stirred lightly but didn't wake up. Slowly he moved closer until his face was only inches away from hers. Briefly he closed his eyes, taking in the sweet scent that was so much part of her. He loved to smell her.

But he also loved to kiss her. Gently he pressed his lips against her soft, rosy cheek. Again she stirred, sighing lightly at the soft contact. Her eyes fluttered a moment before she opened them and looked up, right into his eyes. She looked confused for a moment.

"Is it still today?" she asked in a sleepy voice, causing him to laugh.

"Depends on what today is for you," he answered softly, kissing her cheek again. "To answer your question, yes it is still today."

Lindsay's eyes widened at his answer. She tried to sit up, which wasn't easy in the way the blanket was wrapped around her, something he thought looked very adorable.

"What, so why didn't you wake me up? I never sleep during the day," she said, trying to wiggle out of the blanket only with partly success.

Gently helping her, Danny chuckled. "Calm down, it's okay to sleep during the day. Obviously you were exhausted. Emotional reactions are often exhausting."

He noticed how Lindsay's expression changed once again and she blushed bright red. "Because of that," she answered quietly. "I'm sorry I reacted like that. I shouldn't have..."

"No," Danny interrupted her gently. "No, don't take it back. I'm glad you were so open to me and let me see what you're feeling. I know I'm like you when it comes to feelings, but thanks to you I learnt that you shouldn't hide them. You have to talk about thoughts and feelings, especially with people you love. It helps a lot. And if someone can understand how you're feeling, it's me."

"It's a different situation. You've been alone all the time," she answered. Danny sighed lightly.

"Lindsay, it doesn't matter, alright?" he replied. "Looks like both of us have some problems with our families."

Lindsay nodded. Blushing a bit more, she added, "And I'm glad to have you, so I have someone who understands me."

Danny smiled at her softly. Gently he took her hands into his, stroking his thumbs over their backsides. "So you will contact her, right?" he asked. She had already told him so, but possibly she had changed her mind after sleeping a bit.

"Yes, I think so," she answered and like expected he could hear hesitation in her voice. "Do you think it's a good idea to contact her? Or do you think I should just say nothing? Maybe she doesn't even really want to visit me."

"Of course she wants to see you, that's why she sent you this letter," Danny replied. "And there's an easy way to find it out. Contact her."

Lindsay nodded. She was quiet for a moment before she sighed lightly. "It's not so easy, isn't it? Sometimes you need to be pushed a bit," she said, smiling shyly.

"I agree with you," Danny answered. "I would have never dared to try and find out where my family is, even though I want to know it so badly. I'm glad you and Mac decided to find them. I needed that push. And if pushing you now will help you to do something you're unsure about, I'm willing to do that."

A soft smile lit her face. "Thank you," she said. "I think I might just write that letter, then I can't change my mind again." Blushing again a bit, she added, "Would you maybe...help me?"

"Of course, I would love to help you," Danny answered.

Lindsay's smile widened and she nodded. "Thank you." She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're the best boyfriend ever, you know that? You can't imagine how much you mean to me. It all started with you protecting me when I was supposed to marry Katums and had no idea how to get myself out of that situation. You were willing to do everything for me. Back then I've been so desperate, but you gave me hope again, you helped me to get away from that man. And then...since we're together I finally know how it feels like to be loved and to love myself. It is so wonderful to be in a relationship with you. You're there to support me. You love me. You've agreed to go to this dinner party even though you were so nervous, so afraid. Still you did it and even liked it. You trust in me enough to share your past with me and you listen to my stories. Now you're here to help me with this letter. I can't thank you enough for everything you've been doing for me. I love you so much."

For a moment Danny could only glance back at her in surprise. He was used to Lindsay telling him those three magical words he had once been scared of but which he loved so much now. But that she'd have such an emotional outburst; that was new to him. He wasn't used to hearing so many loving words. Obviously she was listening to his advice now and was allowing herself to show her feelings for him.

"I love you so much as well," he replied then, kissing her softly onto her warm lips. "And I'm not feeling any different about you. You show me every day that you love me the way I am. I have to admit I've been scared that you'd change your mind about me one day because I'm not from the upper class and because I won't be able to pay all the stuff your father could pay. I was afraid I wouldn't fit in. But you've wiped all those worries and fears away with showing me how much you love me, and that's a wonderful feeling. You know I had a hard time in the past and it feels incredibly good to talk about it, as much as it feels good to know you love me, and only me, because of who I am, not because of what I have." He smiled softly at her and kissed her forehead. "I get the feeling the two of us fit together just perfectly."

Still blushing, Lindsay nodded. She closed her arms around him a bit tighter and snuggled against his chest. "Yes, we do. We're perfect for each other. We're so similar in so many things and we understand each other. And we love each other. You couldn't ask for more."

Danny nodded in agreement. Closing his arms around her slim figure, he pulled her closer and held her in place. Once again he was amazed by the strong bond he could feel between him and her. It was unique and so intense it never failed to amaze him.

"I think we should write that letter now. What do you think?" he asked after a while. Gently he pulled her backwards a bit. "We'll write it together now and then bring it to the postoffice, okay?"

Smiling up at him, she nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

Together Danny and Lindsay got up from their bed and headed into the living room to write the letter. On their way they were holding hands. The strong bond between them gave them confidence and strength; something both of them needed.

**Preview: Flack and Jessica realise they don't have to hide their relationship anymore. Mac and Stella have a nice walk in the past. Danny and Lindsay talk about their feelings about their families.**


	25. It's All About Love

**Author's note: Like always, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews and for reading! Thank you so much! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, saturn567, lily moonlight, sucker-4-SMacked and Hylen!**

**Chapter 25: It's All About Love  
**

The lunch party at the Angells' restaurant lasted until afternoon. Everyone was too busy with chatting and laughing. Jessica, who had been nervous because of the meeting, had surprised noticed how all of the sudden, Flack had calmed down and seemed to be so happy and relieved like he knew her family for years already. Of course she had noticed how his behaviour had changed after her boyfriend and father had been in the kitchen for a while. Now she was eager to ask what the two men had been talking about.

After the last guest had left and her parents had headed into the kitchen, Jessica used her chance. Gently she grabbed his hand and pulled him with her into a quieter corner of the restaurant. It was difficult for her to hide her excitement.

"How did you like the lunch?" she wanted to know, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Flack chuckled at her obvious excitement.

"It was very nice. I'm happy I got to meet your family," he answered.

Jessica sighed in relief. "I was hoping you would say that." She hesitated for a moment, her curiosity was too strong though. "May I ask what you and Dad talked about in the kitchen?"

In an instant a smile lit Flack's case. "Yes, of course. We talked about us."

Jessica's eyes widened in surprise. "About us? What does that mean?"

With his smile widening, Flack stepped closer to her and to Jessica's surprise, pulled her into a gentle embrace. "It means your father knew we're together all the time."

In shock at his answer, she tensed in his arms. "What?" she half whispered, half exclaimed.

Flack chuckled again. "He knows it and he is perfectly fine with it. He's even happy for us as long as I make you happy and treat you with respect. And you know I'll always do that."

Jessica was so surprised by what she was hearing that she felt like she was dreaming. In confusion she looked up at her boyfriend.

"Are you serious?" she asked disbelieving. "He is fine with it?"

Flack nodded. "Yes. He's happy for the two of us. This means we don't have to hide our relationship anymore. Isn't that wonderful? We can be together whenever we want to."

Now a smile finally lit Jessica's face as well. "That's wonderful indeed. No hiding anymore, no staying away from each other. I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

"I think I know exactly how you're feeling," Flack answered.

Still smiling, he bent down to kiss her gently. She was right; they didn't have to hide anymore. They could be together whenever they wanted to and wherever they wanted to. It was a great relief for both of them and it made them incredibly happy to know her father was happy for them.

--------

"Isn't this just a wonderful day?" Stella asked, a smile on her face all the time. She and Mac were walking through Central Park, on their way to a café where they could rest for a bit. Mac was watching her with a mix of amusement and admiration. If there had been a doubt that asking her for a walk had been a good idea, those doubts had disappeared now. He hadn't felt well earlier, now he was in a good mood just from walking next to her and listening to her.

"It is for sure," Mac agreed. Once again he hesitated. There was more to say, but he was struggling with how to speak it out. Once again though the words of his friends appeared in his mind. So far he had never regretted the moments he had followed his instinct. This time surely wouldn't be different.

"I have to admit, Miss Bonasera, I love to go for walks with you or to meet for a coffee," he said then, hoping she wouldn't mind him being so open to her. "It's always nice to chat with you, and I would be happy to do that more often. I know there are some great Broadway shows we could watch together." He hesitated for another moment. "If that's what you want as well. I would be very happy about you as my companion."

Mac couldn't know how happy he made Stella with his suggestion. Since she had headed to Danny's place and had heard Lindsay's advice, she had been wondering how she could try to approach Mac and be more open to her. How should she make them meet more often without being too obvious? She hadn't been sure how to start it and so had been hesitant to contact him. Even more happy she had been when he had visited her and asked her to go out for a walk. Now hearing that he wanted to meet her more often made her wish to jump in delight. There couldn't be any better suggestion coming from him.

"That's a wonderful idea, Mr Taylor," she answered . "It would be my pleasure to meet you more often and do everything you suggested. That would be just wonderful." Despite herself she couldn't help but blush lightly at what she said next. "Maybe, if you don't mind of course, we could also stop being so extremely formal and instead use our Christian names instead?"

Stella was relieved at the smile that lit Mac's face at her idea. "I agree with you on that," he said. Stopping, he offered his hand to her. "I'm Mac."

"I'm Stella," she answered, shaking his hand. For a moment they stood like this before they broke out into laughter.

"Now that we clarified that, what about a coffee?" Mac asked.

"Very nice idea," Stella agreed.

With that they continued their walk, all the time chatting. Neither of them was going to reveal how much they were indeed happy about their agreement to meet more often and how much they already meant to each other. But they had just made the next step into the right direction.

--------

It was sunny and warm; a perfect afternoon in early summer. People had decided to spend their time in Central Park, walking around, sitting on benches or in the grass, chatting and laughing. Danny and Lindsay were one of those couples, walking along the wavy paths. Birds were singing in the trees, the soft wind causing tiny waves to form on the large lakes, the smell of flowers filling the air.

But all those wonderful details that made this day so enjoyable weren't what Danny was paying attention to. Much more he cared about the soft, small hand that was tightly closed around his own. While they were walking, he used his chance to glance down at Lindsay. She wasn't talking, her eyes were taking in their surroundings. She was smiling all the time, nothing revealing how she was feeling inside. Nothing but that hand that was holding his so tightly, revealing how nervous she really was.

For a while now Danny was watching his girlfriend. So many times he had told her there was no need to hide her emotions in front of him or in front of anyone else. He also knew she had been raised like that; she was supposed to always look strong and happy, no one was allowed to see what was really going on deep inside her mind. It was some kind of professional behaviour her status in society required; another reason why Danny thought he would never get used to it. He couldn't just hide his thoughts and feelings, no matter how embarrassing his reactions could sometimes be. He would even allow himself to cry in a public place; something she wouldn't even think about.

But even though Danny knew Lindsay's character was like that, this didn't mean he was going to let her act like that. He wanted her to have it easier with allowing herself those feelings inside of pushing them aside. There was no reason to keep on being strong to the outside while the inside looked so differently.

"Are you nervous?" he asked then. Still glancing at her, he noticed her tense lightly; obviously she had been far away with her thoughts.

"Me? No, why?" Lindsay asked back, smiling up at him. The tight grip of her hand, searching for support, revealed another story though.

"I know you would never admit it to others, but don't you think at least with me you can be honest?" he wanted to know.

Despite herself, Lindsay blushed. "I...uh..." For a moment she tried to come up with an excuse to explain that she wasn't nervous. Gazing up into Danny's eyes, seeing the expression that told her he knew better anyways, she released a soft sigh. "You know me way too good," she answered then.

Danny chuckled. "Like you know me too good as well," he said. "I have to say I think that it's definitely good like this. I like to know what you're thinking and feeling because like this I will always notice when something is wrong. I also like you to know what's going on inside me, because like this I don't have to explain every single emotion to you; you already understand."

A smile lit Lindsay's face at his answer and he felt how her tight grip around his hand loosened a bit. "I agree with you on that I think," she replied. Blushing lightly, she added, "I love this...bond between us. Do you know what I mean? That we always understand each other and that I can talk to you when I need to. Just like you can always talk to me."

Danny smiled back at her. "Yes, I know exactly what you mean and I love it as well." Gently he squeezed her hand. "Now you still have to answer my question. Are you nervous?"

Lindsay sighed playfully, laughing. "I knew you wouldn't just drop the topic. Yes, I am nervous. I don't understand why though. I will just send her a letter that says that I would like to see her again so we can talk a bit."

"Yes, after such a long time. It's very normal you're excited and nervous because of that. I would feel the same way."

Lindsay nodded. "Speaking of you, how are you feeling at the moment?"

Danny didn't need her to explain more to understand what she meant with her question. He shrugged lightly. "I'm not sure. I hope you and Mac will find out more soon. I can't deny I'm nervous, because...well, I'm hoping we can find something that tells me where they are. And I hope we'll find out more soon."

"I'm sure we will," Lindsay replied, with a supportive smile gently squeezing his hand back.

They walked in silence for a while, both of them deep in their thoughts. Still they were holding hands, still united through the softness of this touch. It was Lindsay who started to speak again; after all Danny had just told her possibly she should indeed let him be part of her thoughts.

"I wonder what will happen when my parents will meet again," she spoke. "I wonder what she wrote to my father."

"I don't know either," Danny replied. "Maybe you want to tell me how their relationship looked like? Without wanting to judge anyone's actions, but I have to admit it surprises me a bit that she just left the city and never really explained to him how she was suffering. And I'm not picking sides here, I'm just wondering."

Lindsay nodded. She knew he wasn't judging anyone's actions even though he couldn't understand why her mother had just decided to head back to Montana without a warning. Describing her parents' relationship wasn't easy though.

"I don't know exactly how they were feeling about each other to be honest," she started then. "I think a lot changed when we moved. Back in Montana I got the feeling my parents loved each other a lot. Whenever I was watching them together, I was hoping to have such a relationship myself one day. It seemed like they were a perfect team and could always rely on each other."

"Did that change when you moved?" Danny wanted to know.

"Yes." Lindsay sighed lightly at the thought. "When we came here, my father worked a lot to get a name in this city. At first that was fine with my mother and she was happy when she noticed how quickly he became famous here and how much better everything for us was all of the sudden. But then they seemed to drift apart. Suddenly there was this cold between them. Suddenly also society and what people thought about us became so important. We always had to be dressed perfectly, behave perfectly. And for some reason this must have been the point where they stopped communicating I think. There was such a huge distance between them and one day my mother told me she'd go back to Montana and that she wants me to stay with Dad. She didn't really explain it to me. I don't know if she explained it to him though. Well, and then she headed back to that farm and we stayed here."

Danny nodded. Slowly he started to understand, even though there was still much more about the couple neither of them knew about.

"Maybe they will be able to sort things out when they meet again," Danny suggested then. "Your father knows how things have gone wrong in the past and your mother also had time to think."

"That would be great," Lindsay answered and once again she was smiling at him. "They never got divorced and I still have the hope they might get back together again." Once again she blushed a bit. "Even if that's maybe a childish wish."

"It's no childish wish, really," Danny replied, once again squeezing her hand lightly in a supportive gesture. "It would be wonderful if they got back together." He paused for a moment, watching her before he added, "I hope we will never get in such a situation. I would like us to promise each other that we'll always try to sort out problems and talk about them, no matter how difficult they are."

Once again Lindsay glanced up at him, once again smiling but this time with a warmth in her eyes that almost overwhelmed him. "We will. We will talk about everything. I promise."

Still holding his hand, Lindsay snuggled against his side. Danny smiled at her reaction. It was unusual for her to show so much affection in a public space. Once again he realised how close they were and how much they meant to each other. And he couldn't help the imagine of them being married as well to appear in his mind.

**Preview: Thanks to journalist Adam, Mac has news for Danny and Lindsay about his family.**


	26. Exciting News

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for reviewing! Over 200 reviews already! Thank you so much! Also thanks to everyone for reading! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Montana Angell, sucker-4-SMacked, Hylen, saturn567 and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 26: Exciting News**

Walking to the tall office building Mac and Danny were working in, had become something like a daily routine for Lindsay. Either she was there to visit her boyfriend to spend the lunch break with him or to bring him his lunch for the case he had forgotten it again. Or she was there to meet Mac and find out if he had new information for her.

At this day, she was there because of the latter. Lindsay knew that from time to time Danny spent his lunch break with Flack at the Angell's restaurant or café. Those were usually the days when she visited Mac. Even though Danny knew about their plan to find his family, the two of them had refused to let him get too much involved. There were still chances that he wouldn't get the answers he was looking for, and this way they could prepare for how to let him know.

Deep inside though, Lindsay was convinced that soon they would find his parents and the rest of his family. Of course she had no evidence for her theory, it was more of a feeling. Something was telling her they would find them very soon.

Quietly like always, Lindsay headed up to the floor where the two men had their offices. Like every time, she felt a strange feeling rising inside her while she did so. Still she could remember the first time she had come to this building. Back then she had been so scared and desperate. Immediately she had felt that Danny would help her though. That a few months later, the two of them would be together and so in love she hadn't expected. And like always when she came to this thought, a smile lit her face.

When she reached Mac's office, she found the door opened a bit so she could look inside. Carefully she made sure that no client was inside and she wouldn't disturb. Like expected Lindsay found Mac alone in his office. Like always, she knocked at the glass door before she entered to announce her presence. But even when she walked into the room, he didn't react to her but instead kept on staring at some random point in front of him on his desk.

An amused smile lit her face at the sight. Usually Mac wasn't someone who was caught deep in his thoughts, especially not at work. It was funny to see and she had a clear suspicion what he was thinking about.

"Mac?" Carefully she tried to announce her presence. Immediately Mac snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Lindsay, who was smiling at him.

"Lindsay! Oh, I'm sorry I didn't hear you coming in," he answered. "I was just...thinking about something. Have a seat."

Still smiling, Lindsay sat down in the chair across of Mac at the head of his desk. "May I ask what you've been thinking about?" she asked. Immediately blushing at her own question, she answered, "I mean...if that's alright."

Smiling back at the young woman in front of him, Mac nodded. "You and Danny have a lot in common," he told her. "He's also very quick with asking what I'm thinking about, just to feel like it was a mistake to ask that a moment later. Which it is not. I'm actually happy you two care about my thoughts."

Lindsay smiled relieved. "That's good to know." With a tiny wink, she added, "So? What have you been thinking about then?"

Mac laughed. "Knowing you so far, I'm sure you already have a suspicion I guess."

Lindsay chuckled. "That I do indeed. Have you been thinking about one of my dearest friends? Miss Stella Bonasera?" When Mac nodded, she continued, "I heard the two of you met again? I'm happy you asked her for a walk."

"Yes, it was nice. I knew it was right to follow the advice of two of my dearest friends," he replied, his smile widening at the way Lindsay blushed when she realised he was talking about her and Danny. "We shared some very nice conversations. My wish now is that I want to arrange something nice for her, but so far I'm not really sure what I could do."

"Oh, you mean you want to do something for her to surprise her?" Lindsay asked, instantly feeling excitement rising inside her. "Did you already think about inviting her for dinner? Not to a restaurant but to your apartment maybe. I can of course only speak for myself, but I find that very romantic. Danny did that before, he cooked for the two of us and surprised me with that. There is nothing sweeter than a man inviting you for dinner and cooking it himself."

Mac nodded. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Lindsay. I also think I should be able to cook dinner for her. Still...would you mind to help me with that maybe? There are a lot of details to think about when you arrange dinner, and if someone knows how to do that, it's you."

A bright smile lit Lindsay's face at the older man's question. "Of course, I would love to help you! Just tell me when you need my help and I'll be there and show you what you need and what to do."

"Thank you for that," Mac replied. "Usually I would find a way to do this on my own, but your friend really means a lot to me. I want it to be the perfect dinner for her."

Lindsay's smile widened at his words. "Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Mac. You'll give the perfect dinner for Stella."

She could barely hide how excited she was. So much she had wished that Mac and Stella would start to feel like that for each other. At first she had been afraid she was interfering too much. Danny had reassured her that she just wanted to make their friends happy; which was her goal indeed. Now Mac and Stella had arrived at a point where they were even willing to admit their feelings for each other and it made Lindsay happy to know she could support them with that.

"Now I think there is a reason why you came to visit me," Mac interrupted her in her thoughts then.

"Oh, right." Lindsay nodded in agreement. "I wanted to ask if you have any news regarding Danny's family."

"I do indeed," Mac answered, but before he could say more, a knocking at the door interrupted him once again. "Come in," he said instead.

The door was opened and Lindsay was surprised to realise that she knew the man who just entered Mac's office.

"Mr Ross?" she asked surprised.

"Miss Monroe? Nice to meet you here," Adam Ross greeted her, nodding at her. Mac looked at them in surprise.

"You know each other already?" he wanted to know.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. Mr Ross has been in some of the seminars at university," she said. To Adam she added, "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I asked Mr Ross to help us with finding Danny's family," Mac explained.

Lindsay's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" She glanced back at Adam. "And? Did you manage to find out more about my boyfriend's family?"

Adam nodded. He glanced at Mac carefully who, gave him the permission to talk with a slight nod. "Well, I found out more indeed," he answered then. "As a journalist I have the privilege to get in contact with many different informants. And just this morning I received a telegram from a really dear friend of mine." He fumbled with the briefcase he was carrying and pulled a paper out of it. "This morning I received the information you're waiting for."

With that he handed the paper over to Mac. Lindsay could feel excitement rising inside her once again. She wanted to know what the paper said. She wanted to know what Adam Ross had found out about Danny's family.

---------

Flack and Danny tried to meet at least once a week to exchanged what had happened during the week and to just talk. Usually they tried to meet more often than once a week, but sometimes work got in the way.

Now they were sitting in Angell's restaurant again. Danny had been watching his friend for minutes now and at this point his eyebrows were raised and he was giving his friend a confused look. It took Flack a while to notice that.

"What?" he asked then. "Is there a reason you're staring at me like I've just told you I want to quit my job as a policeman and head West to be a town's Sheriff instead?"

Danny narrowed his eyebrows. "A Sheriff of a town? How did you come up with that now?"

Flack laughed. "Honestly? No idea. So what's wrong?"

Danny sighed lightly, not sure what to think about his friend's behaviour. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just a tiny bit confused by the way you and Jessica are acting around each other. I saw the way you're constantly smiling at each other. What happened to the man who was afraid he could reveal he's together with her by just eating here?"

Again Flack laughed. "It doesn't matter anymore since last weekend."

"Last weekend?" Danny looked at his friend in curiosity now. He knew Flack had met the Angells for lunch and that the meeting had been surprisingly nice. But obviously there had happened more. "What exactly happened at that lunch party?"

Flack grinned at him. "I've had a nice talk to Cliff. Who you're supposed to finally call by his name as well," he explained. "He told me he knew that Jessica and I are together all the time."

"Really? And how did he react?" Danny wanted to know. That Cliff was well aware of the relationship he hadn't expected.

Flack's grin widened. "He said that our relationship is fine to him as long as I'm making Jessica happy. And while she is so happy around me, he's glad she's together with me."

Danny stared at his still grinning friend in surprise. "So Cliff is actually happy the two of you are together?" When Flack nodded proudly, he added, "Those are fantastic news, Don! I knew he would think that you're prefect for his daughter though. You love her so much, and that's all that matters in my eyes."

"It's such a relief. Finally we can be together officially without having to hide it," Flack said. "I'm sure you know what I mean."

Danny nodded. "Oh, indeed. I clearly remember how Lindsay and I announced we're together. It was a wonderful feeling to not hide those feelings anymore."

"Absolutely," Flack agreed. With a wink at his friend he added, "Now I'm only waiting for the two of you to announce that you are going to marry."

Hearing what his friend was saying, Danny couldn't help but blush. "How did that come to your mind again?" he wanted to know. He blushed a bit more when he noticed how Flack cocked his eyebrows at him, grinning once again.

"It was actually meant to be a joke," he replied. "Why do I have the feeling it's not a joke for you though? Are you indeed planning to get married?"

"Would you please talk a bit quieter?" Danny hissed. Quickly he glanced at the other guests, making sure they didn't listen. Then he turned back to Flack. "I didn't talk to her about that yet. But...yes, I have been thinking about that indeed. You know I love her. I think marrying her would make sense. I would love to be married with her."

Flack's grin widened, if that was even possible. "Those are fantastic news as well! Oh, you should definitely ask her, I'm sure she'll want that as well. She loves you just as much as you love her."

Danny nodded. "I know. And I will think about that."

In fact Danny knew much more already; he wanted to marry Lindsay. Before, he hadn't been sure about marriage. She had changed his opinion though. He could indeed see the two of them as a married couple. He just needed the confidence to ask her.

---------

It was late when Danny arrived at his apartment again. He loved his job as a private investigator a lot, but sometimes the fact he had to work that long was annoying him. At least he knew Lindsay was at home, waiting for him with dinner. The thought of that immediately caused him to smile every time, no matter how exhausted he was.

When he put his key into the keyhole to open the apartment door, the thoughts about marrying his girlfriend were still present in his mind. Danny knew that Lindsay also had the gift to read his mind, but he hoped she wouldn't find out what exactly he was thinking about. He wanted to marry her, but he needed the confidence and the right moment to ask her. This meant he had to prepare for it.

"Good evening," he shouted when he walked through the hallway and kitchen towards the living room, where he expected her to be. But when he walked into the room, he stopped and looked at her in confusion.

The moment Danny walked into the room, he noticed Lindsay sitting on his couch, like expected. The way she looked at him though confused him. Her expression was serious and she was holding something in her hands. A paper. In an instant he could feel nervousness rising inside him.

"Is everything alright?" he wanted to know, quickly making his way over to the couch to sit down next to her. For a moment he expected she had maybe received a letter from her mother again, but it was impossible they were that fast.

Lindsay nodded at him, trying to hide her own nervousness. "This paper here is for you," she told him. "I've visited Mac at work today. A journalist who I know from university came in right when I asked him if he has news about your family. Mr Ross said he found out what we wanted to know. It's all in this telegram here.

Danny could feel himself tense at her answer. "You have...news about my family?" he asked, not caring his voice was shaking already. She knew him too good; there was no need to hide it.

Again Lindsay nodded. "Would you like to see them?" she asked.

Danny stared at the paper. He could feel the almost overwhelming urge to just grab it rising inside him. On the other side he was hesitant, not sure if he indeed wanted to actually see it.

"Maybe...tell me what's written in that telegram?" he asked.

"Read it yourself," Lindsay suggested instead. Danny noticed how a soft smile lit her face when she handed the paper over to him.

With shaking hands, Danny took it from her. He felt how Lindsay moved closer to him, closing her arms around him in a supportive gesture. He turned his attention to the telegram. There was a lot written on the paper, with some notes that there were going to be some more information. A few lines though gave the answer he had been looking for.

Reading those few lines, Danny's eyes widened. He felt how Lindsay squeezed his arm a little tighter when she realised he had found what he needed to know. He could feel himself shiver, his heart racing. Over and over again he read those few lines, hardly able to understand what he was seeing in front of him in black letters on white paper.

"They're alive," he whispered then. "They're all alive and they found them. They even have an address. I can even contact them if I want to."

Danny turned to Lindsay, who was sitting right next to him now. She was watching him closely, smiling at him. When he had come home, he hadn't expected to find out more. Now he knew what he had been hoping for all the time. Still he needed to completely understand it. But already he could feel a strong feeling of excitement rising inside him.

**Preview: Danny is thinking about how he should react to the news. Lindsay, Stella and Jessica celebrate together. Then Mac arrives with a surprise. Later Danny asks Lindsay to help him with the letter he wants to write for his family.**


	27. Surprises

**Author's note: Thank you so much for reviewing! Also huge thanks to everyone for reading this fic! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, lily moonlight, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567, Above-and-Beyond97, Hylen, Desiree1989, Hannah554 and Montana Angell!**

**Chapter 27: Surprises**

For several long minutes Danny was staring at the piece of paper he was holding in his hands. Lindsay was watching him closely. She could almost feel the emotions rising inside him, could almost see the thoughts running through his mind. When she had come home, she had wondered how she should announce those fantastic news to him best.

When Adam had shown them the paper and Lindsay had read what she and Mac had been hoping for all the time, she had simply felt overwhelmed. There had been a strange mix of feelings rising inside her; she was relieved, at the same time she was so excited she wanted to run around the room and scream. So much she had hoped for those news and she was amazed they had indeed gotten them.

But how should she tell Danny what they had found out? Of course she could simply run to him and fill him in. But she knew how much emotions he had regarding this topic. She could imagine how he must have felt back then when he had to leave Italy to move to America. He had to go through a very rough time to reach the point he was at now. And he had tried his best to suppress memories and feelings, too scared to find something out that could hurt him even more.

She had to be careful when she filled him in. She had to be prepared for every kind of reaction. Of course she couldn't be prepared for every possibly situation. But she could try her best.

Now Lindsay was sitting next to Danny, watching him while he kept on reading the paper over and over again to make sure he had understood it right. She expected him to need a while until the information had found its way into his mind, until he was able to understand it was in fact the truth.

After several long minutes, Danny glanced up at Lindsay, his eyes searching for hers. She could see the question in them and she knew what to answer.

"It's true," she told him. "They're still alive. All of them. Even your grandparents. They're still living in Italy. Mr Ross even found the address."

A soft smile lit Danny's face at Lindsay's words. To emphasize her support, she took one of his hands into hers, squeezing it lightly.

"How are you feeling now?" she wanted to know.

"Honestly? I don't know," Danny answered, shrugging lightly. "I'm not sure, really. I'm...overwhelmed I think. I mean, after all those years...since childhood I had no idea where they are or how they are. I didn't even dare to think about it. I tried to not think about them, I tried to push it away. But...it's not that easy."

"Of course it's not," Lindsay agreed softly. "You can't just forget people you love." With a warm smile she added, "And now you know where they are and that they're still alright."

Danny nodded. "It's more than I ever dreamt about."

Lindsay's smile widened lightly. "Do you have any idea what you would like to do next?"

Danny looked back at her, thinking about the question for a moment. Then he shrugged unsurely. "I don't know. What would you do?"

"Well, I can only speak for myself," Lindsay replied. "But do you know how you told me it would be good to answer my mother's letter? You haven't had any contact to your family for so long. I'm sure they would be happy if you wrote to them."

A sudden insecurity appeared in his eyes at her answer. "Do you think so?" he asked. "I mean...maybe they don't even think about me anymore? It doesn't seem like they tried to find me."

"Possibly for the same reasons why you didn't do it?" she asked back carefully. "You were scared what you would find out. Maybe they had the same fear. Imagine how they must have felt if they realised their plan hadn't worked. Or they tried to find you but they weren't successful."

Her answer seemed to convince him. "So you think I should just write to them?" Danny wanted to know.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. I think that would be the best to do. Write to them and see what will happen."

Danny glanced back at the paper. He was quiet for another few moments. "Alright," he said then. "I will try to write them a letter. I'll just need some time to think about what I want to say."

"Of course." Once again Lindsay squeezed his hand lightly. "And if you need any help or support, please ask."

Once again Danny looked up at her, at this time a bright smile lit his face. "Thank you," he told her. "Thank you for offering me support, but especially thank you for everything you've done for me. Thanks to you and your idea, I'm able to write them now. And I know they're all fine. I wouldn't even know that if you hadn't had the idea to find them and asked Mac."

Lindsay blushed lightly and the obvious gratitude. "You're welcome. I'm happy I could help."

Still smiling, Danny looked back at the letter. Once again Lindsay watched him, smiling herself. She was glad her plan had worked so well.

--------

"Did I ever tell you how much I love our meetings?" Stella said while she, Lindsay and Jessica had just sat down on Lindsay's living room couch, all of them holding glasses to cheer the fact that a certain couple had finally managed to announce they were together. "But that's not the reason I'm so excited. Congratulations to Jessica, who is finally officially together with Don Flack."

"Congratulations!" Lindsay cheered as well, winking at her friend who was blushing lightly.

Jessica chuckled. "Thank you. I still can't believe it myself. All the time Don and I had to be careful no one finds out about us. All the time I have been nervous because I expected my father to engage me to another man. I would have never expected he knew about Don and me already!"

"That was a nice surprise indeed," Lindsay agreed. "It's a wonderful feeling when you can finally openly admit what you're really feeling for the man you love and stop hiding it, right?"

Jessica nodded eagerly. "Absolutely. It's so wonderful to know that my father is happy the two of us are together."

"Well, we never had a doubt he would be happy about that," Stella said with a wink. "The two of you are perfect for each other. He loves you; what else does a father want for his daughter? Every father wants his daughter to be loved by a man who can make her happy. And that's what Don is doing. I had no doubt he would think he's good for you."

Jessica's bright smile widened. "I'm happy you two agree with me on that topic." To Lindsay she added, "Now I can understand how you and Danny must have felt when you announced that you're together."

"It's a very relieving feeling," Lindsay answered. She couldn't help the broad smile that lit her face when she thought about her boyfriend; something that didn't stay unnoticed.

"Why do I have the feeling you also have some news for us?" Stella wanted to know.

Lindsay blushed lightly. "We're here to celebrate that Jessica and Don are together now," she said.

But Jessica shook her head. "This party is supposed to celebrate all great news. So please, tell us what you have to tell us."

For another brief moment, Lindsay hesitated. Her own excitement was too strong though; she needed to share the news. "I told you two that Mr Taylor and I were trying to find Danny's family," she started. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and added, "We found them now. Mr Taylor asked a journalist to help him and he got the information we were looking for. His parents and the whole family are still living in Italy and we even have an address so he can contact them."

"Really?" Jessica stared at her with huge eyes, so did Stella. "You finally found them? My father will be so happy to hear that! We've always tried to make him contact them, but he was so scared. How is he feeling now?"

"He is very excited," Lindsay answered, feeling her own excitement rising again. "He'll write them a letter. I really hope they will answer it then." She wanted to add more, telling them about how she was hoping the same with her mother. But this meant she would have to explain those news to her friends as well, and at the moment she wasn't ready for that yet.

"So many wonderful news," Jessica said then, a happy smile on her face. "Now what about you, Stella? Do you also have to share anything with us? Maybe about Mr Taylor?"

It was Stella's turn to smile now. There was indeed a lot she wanted to share, but before she could start, a sudden ringing at the door interrupted her. The three women exchanged a surprise look.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" Stella wanted to know.

Lindsay shook her head. "Not that I know. But if you don't mind I'll have a look at who's visiting us."

With that she headed over to her apartment door, without the slightest idea who could be at the other side. She opened the door, just to find the last person she had expected.

"Mac?" she asked surprised.

"Hello Lindsay," Mac greeted her, smiling at her. "I'm sorry for disturbing. I know you're meeting your two friend. Danny told me that. I have to admit it's possibly not the most polite way to do what I want to do but I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to wait any longer."

Listening to Mac, a knowing smile lit Lindsay's face. "I can imagine what you're talking about. You're not disturbing at all. Come in. Stella is in the living room."

Biting her lip, she tried to hide her excited smile when Lindsay led Mac into her living room. Amused she noticed how Jessica and Stella mirrored each other's surprise with their expressions.

"Hello Mac," Stella greeted, instinctively getting up from her sitting position. Lindsay quickly made her way over to her, gently led Stella over to their visitor before she joined Jessica on the couch to watch the scene.

"Hello Stella," he greeted back. Nodding towards Jessica, he added, "Hello Miss Angell." Then he turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. "Stella, I know I shouldn't have come over here and interrupt this meeting between the three of you. But I also didn't want to wait any longer. I'm here because I want to ask you if you would like to meet me for dinner. I would love to invite you over to my place on Friday evening for dinner."

Stella stared back at Mac in surprise, overwhelmed by the sudden invitation, while Lindsay and Jessica were exchanging an excited look. Her silence didn't last long. She remembered what her friends had told her. She had to be the way she always was; open, strong and determined.

"I would be very happy to meet you for dinner," she said then. Briefly she glanced over her shoulder at her two friends, who were giving her supportive smiles. She knew the fact that Mac had invited her to his place for dinner meant a lot. Of course she had to take the invitation. And she was looking forward to the evening already.

--------

Danny was sitting at the desk in his living room for almost half an hour now. Still he was staring at the empty paper in front of him. It had taken him a while to make the step and push himself to write the letter for his family. Still he felt overwhelmed by the news, still he could barely believe it. But Lindsay and Mac had indeed managed to find them. Now it was his chance to contact them and he was so excited he could barely think about what he wanted to tell them first.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to sort his thoughts. His problem wasn't that he had no idea what to write; the opposite was bothering him. There was so much he wanted to tell them, so much they didn't know and so much he wanted to ask. So many news he had to share; how he had managed to find a job as a private investigator and how it had been him who had made it happen. He wanted to tell them what wonderful friends he had found and how much he loved to live in the huge city. And of course he wanted to tell them he had managed to find his great love, the most wonderful woman he could think about.

Thinking about Lindsay, a warm smile lit Danny's face. She was the one who had made it possible that now he had an address and could write all those news to his family. She was the person he felt closer to than he had ever felt to anyone else. She was the one who he wanted to spend every day with, every minute, because he loved her so much he couldn't even find words for it.

It was one of the moments when Danny realised once again how close he and Lindsay were. There was such a strong bond, such a strong love that was uniting them. It was simply amazing him. Never he had expected he would fall in love like that, never he had expected that he was even able to feel like that. She had surprised him in so many ways already, and he couldn't even count how many times he had surprised himself since they were together.

So far Danny hadn't been convinced that marriage was a good idea, no matter what Mac had tried to tell him. Now he had changed his mind. He wanted to marry Lindsay and he was looking forward to asking her.

Still smiling, Danny turned his attention back to the paper and he started to write, simply allowing his thoughts to lead him. There was indeed a lot he had to tell.

Danny was writing for at least another half an hour until the sound of the door that was opened interrupted him. He didn't even see her, but Danny could feel how Lindsay joined him in the living room. She stopped for a moment, watching him.

"How was the meeting?" he asked without looking up.

"It was great," she answered and from her voice he could tell she was coming closer. "I'm so happy Don and Jessica are finally together. And can you believe it? Mac asked Stella to meet him at his place for dinner. Those two are making such huge progresses." She was standing next to him now. "Is that the letter for your family?"

Looking up at Lindsay, Danny nodded. "Yes. I needed a bit to start, but now I have so much to tell them."

Lindsay nodded. She glanced down at him for a moment before she said, "Would you mind if I read at it?"

"I would be happy if you did so," he replied, already handing the paper to her.

Carefully holding the paper, Lindsay sat down on the chair next to Danny and started to read. He could see how she smiled at what she read. He also knew that if she continued reading, she would find out a lot more than she would expect. Of course he wanted to share with his family that he wanted to marry her. He was excited how she would react when she would read this part of his letter.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay talk about marriage. Mac meets Stella.**


	28. Love Is Wonderful

**Author's note: Wow, thank you so much again for all those wonderful reviews! Thanks to everyone who's reading this story, which now is so long already, and also thanks for adding it! I also want to thank afrozenheart412 and lily moonlight for all the support for this fic! Special thanks to Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hylen, afrozenheart412, ImaSupernaturalCSI, Hannah554, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567, SMacked Hard and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 28: Love Is Wonderful**

Lindsay had been smiling all the time while reading the letter Danny had written for his family. Then she had reached a chapter of the letter that caught her attention a bit more. So far he had told them a lot about the time he had spent in New York, how he had managed to get a job after the hard time at the beginning and how he had met his friends. A smile had lit her face when she had read how he described the two of them had met.

But then her eyes found another information. She didn't expect anything when she started to read the chapter. So her eyes widened in surprise when she realised what she was reading. In front of her she just found the information that her boyfriend was thinking about asking her to marry him.

Trying to hide her surprise, Lindsay finished reading the letter before she glanced up at Danny again. He had been watching her with increasing excitement. For a moment he had wondered whether he should allow her to see what he had written. But then he had pushed his doubts away. It made no sense to hide it in front of her. Of course this wasn't the most romantic way for her to find out, but for him it was a good way to carefully have a look at whether she was ready for something like a wedding already.

Feeling herself tickle with anticipation, Lindsay looked Danny into the eyes. She could see the nervousness in them, caused by what she had just found out. He was afraid she would push his idea away, wouldn't want it herself. But before she would express her own opinion, she wanted to make sure she had understood him right.

"You...want to marry me?" she asked softly. Carefully she placed the paper back onto the desk in front of him, making sure she didn't ruin it with her shaking hands. She was feeling excitement rising inside her. Was he serious? Did he really want to marry her?

Danny couldn't prevent himself from blushing. "Yes. I know this is coming out of nowhere and possibly way too spontaneous. I can understand when this is too early for you and when you're not ready yet. Also I want to propose, just the way you deserve it. But if that's not what you want yet, it will be fine to me."

Lindsay could hear the hesitation and insecurity in his voice. Of course his first instinct was to protect himself with saying he was fine with either of her reactions. Knowing him so well though, she knew this wasn't the truth. She had felt how much he had this wish in every word he had written regarding this topic.

"But I would love to marry you," she answered then. She chuckled lightly at the disbelieving look he was giving her. "What did you expect me to say? I love you and you love me. Why shouldn't I want to marry you?"

"I...well, I don't know," he stammered, despite his hopes being overwhelmed by the fact she liked his idea. "I mean, it comes out of nowhere and I didn't even really propose."

"But who cares?" she asked back. "It doesn't come out of nowhere and I don't need a special kind of proposal. I just want to marry you. You...you have no idea how wonderful just the thought of you wanting to marry me is. It's one of the most wonderful ideas you ever had."

"Really?" Still Danny couldn't hide his surprise and disbelief. When she nodded, her smile widening and her eyes sparkling, he added, "I want to propose to you properly though. You deserve a wonderful proposal, a romantic one." He hesitated for a moment. "But are you really sure you want that? You want to marry me?"

"Of course, I just told you so," Lindsay replied. At first she was confused by him asking her again. But then she understood. Still she could see the strong insecurity in his eyes. He knew now that she loved the idea and how much it meant to her; so much she could feel tears of happiness rising in her eyes. But there were more questions he needed to get answered. Questions that made him hesitant.

"What are you worrying about?" she wanted to know. She noticed how Danny turned his gaze away from her, looking down at the dark wooden surface of his desk. It was an old piece of furniture, but, so he had told her, it was the first one he had bought himself back then while working for Cliff. It meant a lot to him; it always reminded him of how far he had come. He had reached a lot, which made her wonder why he was still so hesitant.

"I'm not worried. Just trying to make sure we're doing what's good for everyone," he answered then. "I know your father likes me, but we never talked about marrying."

Lindsay's eyes widened at his words. "Are you seriously saying that? Do you still think he doesn't want you to marry me? You should know he's aware of how happy we are together! Why else did he come and allow you to help him with the letter? He likes you so much. If he wants someone to marry me, it's you. And I'm feeling exactly the same way. You should already know that I'm very proud of you and I want you to stop worrying. I want to marry you, more than anything else. And my father will be more than delighted about that as well."

Danny glanced back at her for a while, thinking about what she had just told him. He knew she was saying the truth. There was no need to feel ashamed or hesitant anymore. He was aware of the fact that they shared their feelings for each other. Still the nervousness and doubts appeared from time to time and he was grateful to have her to push them aside again.

"I'm not sure if I can give you one of those huge wedding parties women always dream of," he pointed out then. "You know I'm not going to ask for money, and I'm not sure I could pay for something like that."

"And I don't need that either," Lindsay told him before he could continue. "All I want is marrying you because of the two of us. Because of our love for each other. And all I need is the people who mean something to us to be there. Like our friends, and families. That's all I want and that won't be expensive. Ah, wait!" She silenced him when she noticed he wanted to speak. "I want it just like that, alright? No big wedding. Just a small, wonderful wedding with the people we love."

Danny smiled at her. He could hear the determination in her voice, could see the sparkles in her beautiful brown eyes. She was serious; there was no doubt about that. All she wanted was them to marry because of their love.

"Fine then," he said, causing her to smile brightly. "But still I'll propose, and I would like it to stay between you and me for the time."

Lindsay nodded eagerly. "That's fine to me." She sighed happily. "We're going to marry, can you believe that? It's so wonderful, I can already imagine it." She blushed lightly. "Do you think I'm too fast with that?"

Danny couldn't help the smile that lit his face. He could see how excited Lindsay was. "I would love to listen to what you have in mind already," he told her then, causing her smile to widen.

While Lindsay started to explain what she was imagining, Danny listened to her with a smile on his face. He hadn't been sure how she would react. He hadn't expected her to be so happy and excited. It was a great feeling though and he had to admit that now he was getting excited himself.

--------

Standing in his bedroom, Mac was staring into the tall mirror in front of him. He was wearing his best black suit, a bright, clean white shirt underneath the jacket and shiny black shoes, making his outfit perfect. Sighing lightly, he shook his head at himself. Never before he had been so nervous, so excited because of something. Or someone.

Well, never wasn't correct. He had been nervous before, like back then when he had married Claire. Now he wasn't as nervous as he had been on the day of his wedding of course. But he was very excited. He didn't remember the last time he had met a woman for dinner. Especially not a woman like Stella.

But the excitement he was feeling was a good kind of excitement. He was looking forward to her arriving and he knew it would be wonderful.

Throwing another glance at himself, Mac headed to the bedroom door and left the room. He smiled at the sight in front of him. The table was set, candles spending some light, colouring the room in a romantic reddish tone. Danny and Lindsay were standing next to it, smiling at him.

"Mac, the table is set, the food is cooked. Now you only have to wait for the Miss," Danny announced with a smile.

Mac smiled back at his friends. They had offered to help him with preparing the dinner for Stella. They had helped him to set the table and cook. Now everything was perfect indeed. "How can I thank you for all the help and support?" he wanted to know.

"Mac, just see it as a way for us to thank you for all the help you offered to us," Lindsay replied and Danny nodded.

"It's only fair that now we can do something for you," he added.

Mac's smile widened. Everyone knew he didn't like to ask for help. Those two he knew would always like to help him. Not because he had given them support before, but just because it was part of their friendship.

"I think we'll head back home now," Danny said then, gently resting his arm around Lindsay's waist. "Have a wonderful evening and dinner with Miss Bonasera."

"That I surely will. Thanks to the two of you," Mac replied.

Danny and Lindsay smiled at him and nodded. They exchanged a brief glance. So far they hadn't told Mac that they were going to marry. For now they wanted to keep it to themselves and plan it until they could surprise their friends with it.

--------

When Stella arrived at Mac's apartment building, she needed to stop for a moment to take a deep breath and calm herself down. A couple of times before she had had dates, but never one like that. She had tried to find out why this man was so special to her. So far she wasn't entirely sure. She knew her friends had their theory, but she was careful with that.

Something she knew for sure though. Mac was different from every other man she had met before. He was a real gentleman. Talking to him was so easy and so wonderful. She could spend hours with doing that. How wonderful it would be if they got together and could indeed spend every day with each other.

When she realised how far her thoughts had gone already, Stella blushed lightly. Taking another deep breath, she glanced at her reflection in the window on one wall of the hallways that led to his apartment. She was wearing one of her best dresses; a long, tight and dark red dress with a lot of little details that made it so special. To make the look perfect, she was wearing long, black gloves which reached up to her elbows and a long, black feather boa. Her curls were bond up in a bun and long, sparkling earrings were adding some extra sparkles to her appearance.

Hesitating for another short moment, she reached out to knock. Stella didn't need to wait long. Not even a minute later, the door was opened and Mac appeared. He smiled at her warmly and she could feel her heart beating faster at the sight.

"Good evening, Stella," he greeted her. "I was already awaiting you." Gently he took her hand and blew a kiss onto the glove clad backside of it.

"Good evening, Mac," she greeted back.

With a smile she allowed him to lead her inside his apartment and over into his living room. Immediately she noticed all the lovely details, the beautiful way everything was decorated. The soft sound of jazz was coming from the phonogram in one corner of the room, the fire in the fireplace and the candles on the dining table spending some soft light that was increasing the almost magical atmosphere.

Mac led Stella over to the dining table and helped her to sit down.

"I'm happy you took my invitation," he told her with a smile. He hesitated for a moment before he added, "And what you beautiful appearance you are."

Stella smiled up at Mac, to her own surprise blushing lightly, which luckily stayed unnoticed by him in the candle lit room. "Thank you. You're looking great yourself."

Mac nodded, still with the same smile on his lips. "Dinner should be finished in a few minutes. I will be right back."

With that he headed back into the kitchen, leaving Stella sitting at the table, taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Like Mac had hoped, the dinner that followed was a success. Like always he and Stella easily found topics to discuss. Once again both were amazed by how much they had in common, by how many interests and opinions they shared. The hours passed quickly and barely they noticed how they even finished dessert. Even after that they spent a lot of time with talking, not paying attention to how late it was already. It was Stella who threw a glance at the tall clock next to the phonogram.

"Oh, it is getting close to midnight already," she pointed out surprise. "And I didn't even notice it's that late already."

"It is indeed," Mac admitted. "But...Stella, after such a nice evening, would you allow me to ask if you stay for one more glass? Even if it can't be wine unfortunately."

Stella laughed. "Yes, I might stay for one more glass of water." She let her eyes wander through the room. "Maybe you could show me more of your place? If I may see it. It's such a beautiful place."

"Of course," Mac agreed. He got up and walked around the table to help her to get up as well. Together they made their way around the large living room and Mac started to explain to a very interested Stella where he had found all of the little and not so little treasures the room contained.

Happily listening to Mac's stories, Stella let her eyes wander along the picture wall. A certain picture caught her attention then. In front of her, she found the picture of a young woman, smiling at her. She had sparkling blue eyes and long, blonde curls. Stella didn't need a confirmation that this woman had to be Claire. The picture frame next to it; one with Mac and the woman this time, told her that.

"May I ask who that beautiful woman is?" she asked then, carefully and trying to make sure he didn't notice she knew the answer already.

Mac, who had stepped next to her, glanced at the picture. Stella noticed how his expression turned serious. Already she opened her mouth to tell him he didn't need to answer, but he was faster.

"This is my wife Claire," he told her. A smile lit his face when he looked at the picture of the young woman. "It was taken a few weeks after our wedding. I'm not sure you heard about that already. Claire was on vacation and she came back with a serious fever. No one could help her with that."

Stella could feel a lump in her throat at the answer. It was the second time she heard about this story. It didn't fail to affect her though.

"I'm sorry," she managed to say then.

"It is alright," Mac replied, giving her a light smile. He hesitated for a moment. There was more he needed to say. "I learnt that I can just keep her in my heart. Claire will always be a special woman for me. What I'm wondering now is if it would be fine to fall in love again. All the time I was convinced that it wouldn't be alright and fair to her. But some friends reassured me that I shouldn't keep those feelings away from myself."

"That I agree with," Stella told him without actually thinking about her answer. She knew her friends were right when they told her to listen to her instinct. "Because like you said, Claire will always be special for you. It isn't wrong to fall in love again."

"That is good to know," Mac replied. "Because I think I already did." He hesitated for yet another moment before he added, "I think I have fallen in love with you, Stella."

Surprised and amazed by the sudden and unexpected honesty of the man in front of her, Stella stared back at him for a moment. She hadn't expected such a confession. But once again she allowed her instinct to decide. An instinct that knew exactly what she wanted to answer.

"I'm feeling the same way, Mac," she told him then, smiling up at him.

Mac smiled back at her. He kept his eyes locked with hers for a moment before he stepped closer to Stella. For only a brief moment they hesitated once again, allowing each other to back off. And then they kissed, for the first time. Once again it was their instinct that was leading them. And both of them were convinced what they did was right.  
**  
Preview: Lindsay and Stella meet a new fashion designer who seems to hide something. Danny meets his girlfriend's mother.**


	29. Meeting New People

**Author's note: Wow, thanks again for the lovely feedback! Huge thanks to everyone who's taking the time to read this fic! I'm happy to see you like it, and it makes writing it even more fun. Special thanks to Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, anonymous, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard, saturn567, Hannah554 and Hylen!**

**Chapter 29: Meeting New People**

When Danny arrived at work early in the morning, he was still so tired that he wanted to just turn around and head back home. Especially when he thought about the fact that he could cuddle with Lindsay then. Like they had the night before. At the thought of that, a smile lit his face. The petite, young woman he loved so much and he couldn't get enough of spending time with each other.

He knew she had headed to her university this morning though. Still he was amazed by the fact that she had indeed made it happen; she was studying. Usually a woman was supposed to stay at home and find a husband. Right when she had found a man she thought she could marry, or when her family had found one for her, she had to become his wife and bear him children, as many as possible. Then she would be busy with staying at home, cooking, doing the household and being there for her husband.

But Danny had never been for those traditional thoughts. In his eyes all he wanted was a happy girlfriend, fiancée and later wife. He knew Lindsay could be very stubborn and he also knew she wouldn't feel well if she was pressed in such a role. She had told him she could see herself as a housewife one day. But she also wanted to learn a job, and becoming a journalist was her dream. He was determined to support her with her dream, even if this meant the two of them didn't fit into the classic role model. Then again their friends didn't either and about other people's opinion he didn't care anyways.

The thoughts of his girlfriend and friends had the wished effect; even though still tired, Danny was at least in a good mood now. Quickly he made his way upstairs to the floor his and Mac's offices were on. Briefly he peeked into his office. Seeing the huge stack of files on his desk, he released a sigh. Instead of walking inside, he decided that before he would turn his full attention to the files, he would visit his boss and friend.

Knocking at the door briefly, Danny walked into Mac's office. He expected a sight like usually, but instead of finding Mac busy with his own work, he saw something completely different. There was an even higher stack of files on Mac's desk, but instead of being bent over it and working on them, Mac was leaning back in his chair and reading his newspaper. Danny couldn't help the grin that lit his face. For a couple of weeks, Mac was together with Stella now. The effect the relationship had on his friend was more than obvious.

"Good morning, Mac," Danny greeted. Leaning in the doorway of his boss's office, he watched the older man who just looked up from his newspaper, with a grin. "Aren't you busy with work?"

"I am busy with work indeed," Mac replied. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a look at my newspaper first. One needs to know what's happening in the world. And I'm pretty certain you'll be very interested in doing the same the moment your girlfriend starts writing for the Times."

Danny laughed. "Oh, Mac, are you teasing me? I have to admit though, I like that new side of you Stella brings out so well. You're way more relaxed since the two of you are together."

Glancing up at Danny again with raised eyebrows, Mac rolled his eyes. "Then tell me, Danny, are you reading the newspaper as well?" he wanted to know instead of replying to his friend's comment about his relationship.

Danny sighed, willing accepting the change of topic, knowing his boss would come to him if he wanted to chat about his girlfriend. "At the moment? Not really. You barely get to read anything about what's happening in the world. Instead all you get to see are articles about the presidential election."

Mac couldn't help the grin that lit his face at his friend's answer. He had expected him to say exactly that. "Of course the newspapers are full of that. It's important. So how about you? Did you finally decide whether you want to vote or not?"

Danny shrugged. He couldn't deny the last topic he was interested were politics. Mac had a different opinion though. He wasn't a fan of the rich men's business either and he avoided politicians as good as possible. When it came to voting, Mac had a clear opinion though.

"You know you should go and vote," Mac told him like expected. "I know you don't care about that and you don't think you as a single person can change anything. But imagine everyone would think like that. Then no one would vote and indeed nothing would happen. A voting like that is supposed to give every person a voice to make changes. It's the only time when the people with a lot of money aren't mightier than normal persons like us."

Releasing another sigh, Danny nodded. "I know, Mac, you're right. I'll think about it, alright? I think I have to vote anyways, because Lindsay wants me to. If she hears I won't use my voice, she might get mad at me."

Mac laughed at the answer. He could imagine all three, Lindsay, Stella and Jessica, to get mad at Danny, Flack and himself if they wasted their chance and their voice. Those three were huge supporters of the fact that for eight years now, women were allowed to vote as well. It had been a huge success for the women to gain this right and all of them should use their voice.

--------

More than once Lindsay had visited Stella at her studio before. Still those were moments that always got her excited. She couldn't even explain why. Somehow it was just a special feeling to go to her friend's studio and to be allowed to have a look at all the new and beautiful dressed she had created.

Knowing Stella for so many years already, Lindsay could remember how her friend had decided she wanted to become the most famous fashion designer in New York. Even though being famous like that as a woman in a world dominated by men seemed to be difficult to impossible, she had never had a doubt that if someone could make it happen, it was Stella.

She had been right with her theory. Still Stella wasn't the most famous fashion designer in New York, but she was on the best way to get there. Her dresses were loved by women of all classes, her fashion shows were well visited. Stella was successful, and she had managed to get to this point all by herself. Apart from Lindsay, Stella never had had any kind of support. She had simply kept on working, hard and day in and day out. She had been determined and no man had been able to hurt her self confidence.

Now Stella knew a lot of well known people who could support her, but still the only person she allowed to actually state her opinion or help was Lindsay. Lindsay had to admit she felt honored because of the way her friend allowed her to help her. She and Jessica were the only ones who were allowed to have a look at plans and dresses before anyone else in the world got to see them. It was a huge gesture of trust and it meant a lot to both women. Usually they visited Stella's studio together. Because Jessica had to work though, Lindsay had decided to go to Stella by her own after visiting university.

After gently knocking at the huge door of the loft which Stella had rented as her studio, Lindsay entered and immediately felt like she was stepping into a whole new world. Everywhere she found dolls dressed in Stella's dresses, old ones and completely new ones. Huge tables were covered in paper; all plans for new fashion. Stella was just bent over another table, covered with different kinds of fabrics in the most different kind of colours. Lindsay couldn't help the happy and excited smile that lit her face. More than once she and Jessica had been allowed to try those dresses on. It was the dream of every woman; to wear dresses that Stella Bonasera had made. And they seemed to get more and more beautiful every time.

"Hello Stella," she greeted then, stepping over to the table covered in fabric. Stella looked up at Lindsay, immediately smiling brightly.

"Hey," she greeted back. "I was hoping you would come. I need your opinion again. If you don't mind? I've created a new dress but I'm not sure about the colour yet. I have a few options, but I really can't decide."

Lindsay chuckled. She loved to see this excited and eager side of her friend. She loved her job, which was very obvious. "Of course I would love to help," she answered then.

Stella's smile widened. "Wonderful." She hurried over to the table with the plans, grabbed one of them and rushed back. "Look. This is it. I thought about using either black silk like this here, or this dark red silk over there. It arrived this morning and I can't get enough of this fabric. But what would you choose?"

Lindsay blushed lightly at the strong interest Stella had in her opinion. "Do you think you really need to ask me?" she wanted to know. "I mean, you're the professional designer."

Stella laughed. "Oh, why did I know you'd say that? Listen, you have such a wonderful taste in clothes. You know a lot about fabric and colours and I know you have a fantastic imagination. I know you can imagine that dress already, in both of those fabrics. So which would you choose?"

Once again Lindsay looked back at the plan before she turned her attention back to the fabrics. In fact she had a clear idea already. "If you want to hear my honest opinion," she answered then. "I would use the black fabric for this one here. But then I would change the length of the dress from your plan a bit and would make it strapless and use the dark red fabric for it. Together with a feather boa and a nice leather handbag it would look stunning." Lindsay blushed bright red at the way Stella's eyes started to sparkle. "That's just what I would do maybe."

"And that's a fantastic idea!" Stella exclaimed. "Lindsay, I knew you would come up with the perfect idea. Why don't you finally start to work with me? My dresses would be so much better. You have such a great taste. And Jessica could help us. I wonder why the two of you don't just give it a go. You have so wonderful idea, honey, I know the dresses would be amazing."

Although she hadn't thought it was possible, Lindsay blushed even more. But before she could reply, a knocking at the entrance door of the loft interrupted her. Surprised, Stella and Lindsay exchanged a glance.

"Do you await someone else?" Lindsay wanted to know. Stella shook her head.

"No, not really." Turning her attention to the door, she walked towards it and answered, "Come in, the door is open."

The door was opened and to the surprise of both women, a man entered. Both of them had seen him before, both of them immediately recognized him.

"Frankie Mala?" Stella asked surprised.

"Miss Bonasera!" the man greeted her. "I'm honoured that you know my name. I didn't expect a famous designer like you to know who I am. Still I'm not that known among fashion designers."

"Still I know who you are," Stella replied. "This is my friend Lindsay Monroe. She's helping me with my dresses."

"Frankie Mala, nice to meet you," Frankie introduced himself, smiling at Lindsay. Turning back to Stella, he added, "I know I possibly surprised you with my visit, but I was just in the neighbourhood and so I thought I could pay you a visit. You might know I'm still new in this business and I would be honoured if I could get to know a famous designer like you a bit better."

Stella and Lindsay exchanged a short glance, both women rising their eyebrows lightly. Both of them had caught the glances the man had thrown at the dresses that were visible and the table with the plans, standing not that far away. Both of them had seen the interest in his eyes, revealing what exactly he wanted.

"That's a very nice suggestion, Mr Mala, and I might indeed come back to you with that, but at the moment I'm really busy with work. Maybe you come back another time?" Stella replied politely.

Frankie looked at them, for a moment fighting with himself. Then a smile lit his face and he nodded.

"Of course, I understand that. I'll see you again soon. It was nice to meet the two of you." Nodding at them, he turned around and left the loft again, as quickly as he had arrived. Almost instinctively Stella headed over to the door and locked it.

"That was strange," she said.

Lindsay nodded. "It was indeed strange. Did you see the way he looked at your plans? I'm sure he hoped to get a look at them."

"Yes," Stella agreed. "And I know from people who were friendly enough to allow that. A short while later they saw the dresses they had been working on for months running over the catwalk, created by another designer. I won't do the same."

"Definitely not," Lindsay replied. "So, now that we clarified that, do you want us to go back to your plans?"

Stella nodded. "Good idea."

But even when both women turned their attention back to what they had been doing before, they couldn't completely stop thinking about the man who had just visited them and the strange way he had behaved.

--------

It was around midday when Danny and Flack were on their way to Danny's apartment. They were on lunch break, but on their way to their favourite restaurant, they had realised he had forgotten his wallet.

"So did you already think about proposing to Lindsay?" Flack asked while they were walking along the sidewalk up to the building. A while ago, Danny had revealed to Mac and Flack that he wanted to propose to Lindsay, but that he was still thinking about the right way and right time for that. Both men had been excited for the couple and immediately had offered help.

"I have a lot of plans," Danny answered. "I just need to decide for something. I really want this moment to be special for her. Something she'll love to think about."

"I think no matter what you'll do, she'll love to remember it. It's you she's going to marry. I'm sure she's very excited," Flack replied.

Danny laughed. "At least I hope so." He wanted to say more, when the entrance door of his apartment building came into their sight. Usually that wasn't anything special. Also the fact that he found a woman he didn't know standing in front of it. But the way the woman, possibly around Sid's age, was looking around, looking so unsure, caught both men's attention. They exchanged a short glance and quickly made their way over to her.

"Hello," Danny greeted her. "Can we help you maybe? I'm living in this building, do you want to visit someone?"

The woman turned around to look at him, surprising him by the way she seemed to remind him of someone. Then again he was sure he had never seen her before. She smiled at him and Flack and nodded.

"I'm looking for my daughter. As far as I know, she's living in this building. Or at least her boyfriend does," she answered. She had a strong accent, so much he could tell.

"What's the name of your daughter?" Danny wanted to know.

"Lindsay Monroe," the woman answered. "Do you know if she or her boyfriend live in this building?"

But instead of answering, Danny looked at the woman in surprise. Now he understood why she looked so familiar. She looked like Lindsay. Because the woman in front of them was her mother.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay meet Dana Monroe. Someone breaks into Stella's studio and steals her plans.**


	30. The Return Of A Family Member

**Author's note: Like always huge thanks to everyone for reviewing! And thanks for reading as well! I'm happy you're still enjoying this fic! Special thanks to Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, Hannah554, lily moonlight and Desiree1989!**

**Also check out 'Big Sky Country' by lily moonlight and me that has just been updated as well! :)  
**

**Chapter 30: The Return Of A Family Member**

"Is it really alright to you if I wait in your apartment for my daughter to arrive?" the woman who had introduced herself as Dana Monroe, asked while she and Danny made their way up to his apartment.

"Oh, of course it's alright. I'm sure she'll arrive in a few hours," Danny answered, with his smile trying to hide his insecurity. "I'll just need to call my boss and tell him I'll stay here as well, so he doesn't wait for me."

"I appreciate that a lot, but you really don't have to stop working and stay with me," Dana answered politely. "I'm sure you have better things to do than to take care of an old woman from Montana. Like work for example."

They had arrived at his door now. Danny stopped and before opening the door, turned around to Dana again. "Mrs Monroe, it's really not a problem for me to stay here," he told her. "My boss will understand and I'm sure Lindsay will arrive here as well soon." A little shyer and more hesitant he added, "If you have any questions directed to me, you can also ask me already."

To his relief, Dana finally smiled at him. She nodded. "Alright, Mr Messer, then I'll wait here with you. But please, call me Dana. I don't want my daughter's partner to call me by my surname."

"Fine, Dana." Danny nodded and smiled. "I'm Danny. Now let's get in there. You must be hungry and thirsty after such a long journey through half of the country."

Together they entered the apartment. Danny couldn't help the strong insecurity he felt rising inside him immediately. He was glad he had been wearing a good, black suit for work and she hadn't caught him in his usual casual grey, black or brown pants with one of his mostly white shirts. Even though he knew exactly what Lindsay would tell him if she knew what he was thinking, he couldn't help but wish to impress the woman who was now walking through his apartment with him. She was his daughter's mother, and he didn't feel any different in front of her than he did in front of Sid.

"This is my place. I know it's not the biggest, but Lindsay seems to enjoy it here," he almost apologized when they walked into the living room. Once again turning around to Dana, Danny expected some kind of not happy expression regarding the small apartment. Instead he was surprised to find her smiling.

"Would you allow me to guess?" she asked, looking back at him with a smile. "Lindsay much rather likes to stay here with you than in her own apartment, right? Even though she knows she's not supposed to be here all the time before you two marry, she feels much more comfortable here."

Surprised by the sudden and very true confrontation, Danny blushed bright red. He couldn't help this reaction. Of course he and Lindsay were aware of the fact that a couple that wasn't married yet wasn't allowed to spend so much time together, especially not at night. That they had even been intimate a couple of times before wasn't tolerable either. Then again Sid seemed to be fine with that and Dana didn't look like she was going to attack him if he was being honest.

"Yes, she likes to be here," he admitted then. Dana laughed.

"Believe me, young man, I know exactly what is going on inside your mind," she replied with a light wink at him. "You're hoping I don't get mad at how close you and Lindsay are. I won't. I've been young and in love myself."

"That's exactly what Sid said as well," Danny answered. At the mention of her husband, Dana's expression immediately turned serious. This was a topic that had to be discussed, but not by them. So he quickly added, "How did you know Lindsay likes being here more than being at her own place, even though it's much bigger than mine?"

To his relief, Dana smiled again. "Because she's like me when it comes to things like that," she answered. "I've never needed much money. All I needed was a cozy home. It doesn't have to be big. It just has to feel like home. From what I could tell from her letter, she loves you a lot. This here is your place and she loves to be as close to you as even possible. That's why she rather likes to be here."

"That makes sense to me," Danny replied. Once again he felt himself getting hesitant. Even though he tried to be relaxed and not judging or curious, it was very difficult. Dana had returned to New York for the first time after years, after not even explaining to her daughter why she had just moved back to her home state. It was the first time that he realised it wasn't just him who was afraid about what the other person in the room was thinking about him.

"Do you maybe want something to eat? Or to drink?" he wanted to know then, trying to ease the tension. But Dana shook her head.

"Later maybe. Thank you, Danny." She walked over to one of his living room couches and sat down. Almost instinctively he followed her to sit down on the couch across of her, waiting for what she would do next. And like expected, she started to speak again.

"I think it makes no sense to pretend like this is just a normal family meeting," she said. "I think Lindsay told you that I just disappeared years ago. I think you know that I left my family to head back to Montana without actually really explaining to her why I did so. I think you have an opinion about that and I would like to know it. You don't have to be polite to me. I know what I did was a huge mistake and I don't want anyone to try and make me believe anything different."

Danny was amazed by her honesty. Once again this was something she had in common with Lindsay. Thinking about his girlfriend, Danny realised she was clearly a mix of her father and mother. She was polite and warm-hearted like Sid. She was strong and determined like Dana. And even though Danny still wasn't sure what to think about Dana's decision, he couldn't help the feeling that deep down, he liked the woman sitting in front of him.

"I don't have the right to judge, because I wasn't around your family back then," Danny answered, trying to be as honest as possible. "I can't deny that I think you should have talked to your husband and should have tried to figure out how the two of you could find a solution for your situation if you didn't so. I know your daughter missed you a lot during those years and wondered if she it was her own fault you decided to leave her in New York. She understands it now though. Still I think heading back to Montana was no solution, then again I can't tell how you've been feeling with a husband who has spent most of his time with work. I think that's the difference between the two of you. Just like you said; you don't care about the money. You need a cozy home. Sid always wanted to make sure you have enough money so you wouldn't be hungry or missing anything. Both of you had the best intentions, but unfortunately you seem to have drifted apart. I don't want to decide whether either of you was right or wrong. All I can tell is that now you can't turn back time. It doesn't mean you don't have a second chance to restart the relationships that might have cooled off over the years. I saw how excited Lindsay was when she wrote that letter. She wants to see you again and wants to be close to you again. Possibly this is the chance to just leave past decisions behind and start fresh." Blushing even more if possible, Danny added, "That's just my opinion, but I don't really have anything to say about your situation and your family."

After the for him long speech, Danny glanced back at Dana, unsure on whether his honesty had been right or not. There were a lot of reactions he was expecting. The smile she gave him after a few moments of silence though he hadn't been prepared for.

"I thank you for your honesty, Danny," Dana answered. "Possibly you wonder why I didn't contact my family earlier. The answer is easy; I was afraid. I don't know if you understand that."

"I do," Danny replied in full honesty. "I know exactly how it feels like to be afraid because of someone's reaction."

Dana nodded. "Then you might understand it took me a long while to send those letters," she continued. "I wasn't sure whether I would receive any answers and I didn't think I had the right to ask for them. But then I received two letters, from both, Sid and Lindsay. And both of them told me they want to see me again. Despite what I did, despite the fact I left them alone for so many years. That you tell me now that you think we have the chance to start fresh is what I was dearly hoping for for a while now. And don't you think you don't have the right to judge. Lindsay's letter clearly showed me how much she loves you. You are part of this family and I'm grateful that you were so honest to tell your opinion."

"Thank you, Dana," Danny replied. He was still blushing, but also he was smiling now.

Dana smiled back at him. "Now Danny, maybe we can use the time until my daughter comes home to get to know each other better. Why don't you tell me a bit about who you are?"

Nodding in agreement, Danny willingly started to talk. He had been nervous and scared at first, not knowing what Lindsay's mother would think about him. Now they had been so honest to each other. He couldn't even help it. Just like Dana before, he was honest about every detail of his past, knowing that even though the two of them were so completely different in so many ways, she was one he could be open to.

---------

Hectically he threw yet another glance over his shoulder, making sure no one was watching him, no one had followed him. Sighing relieved, he turned his attention back to the door he was trying to open. One more push and with a smile, he managed to open the door to Stella Bonasera's studio.

Once again glancing over his shoulder, he entered the large loft. His eyes expertly scanned the now dark room. Even in the dark his eyes recognized the beauty of the wonderful dresses the designer had created. What wonderful treasures!

But the dresses he wasn't longing for. Quickly he made his way over to one of the large tables, covered in paper. Gently he let his glove clad fingers slide over them. His smile widened. Those plans he had been looking for. Briefly he hesitated. Then he grabbed them, pushed them together, before he rolled them and stuck them into the large black bag he was carrying.

Once again he let his eyes wander through the room, his smile widening. With no bit of regret because of the crime he had just committed, he headed back to the large door, as quietly as he had entered. Carefully he closed the door again. Then he disappeared in the dark of the nearest alley, unseen by any person that could have stopped him, carrying a treasure that was worth so much more than money could pay.

---------

It was late in the afternoon when Lindsay arrived at Danny's apartment. Her day had been long and exhausting, but still it had been nice to spend so much time at university, at Stella's studio and later together with Jessica at the Angells' café.

Now she was glad to be back home though. With a smile on her face all the time, she unlocked the door and let herself in. Coming home was more wonderful than she had ever expected. She knew when Danny was at home, he was always happy to see her visit him. In fact she had practically moved in with him already. Her favourite clothes and most of her books and other belongings she had brought to his place already. Only the rest of her huge amount of clothes had stayed at her own apartment. She didn't need most of them anyways though. The dresses at his place were Danny's favourites and he was the only one she wanted to impress with her look.

Still smiling, she freed herself from her long coat and boots, when voices coming from the living room, caught her attention. Surprised, she stopped in her tracks. One voice was Danny's. The other voice was female, but still it wasn't a stranger's voice to her. She felt herself shudder lightly. She knew who else was in the living room with her boyfriend.

On shaky legs, she walked through the kitchen over to the room, the voice getting louder. Within a few moments her nervousness had increased to an unbearable point. She knew it was her mother she was hearing; never she would forget the sound of her voice. Still she remembered all those times she had been singing for her, laughing with her or just talked to her. Now the owner of this voice was there, after so many years. After so many years she would see her again for the first time.

Carefully and slowly, Lindsay forced herself to enter the living room. Her heart was racing and she was wondering if her legs could keep her on walking. There she found them both, sitting on the couch.

"Hello," she greeted, not able to say more at the moment.

Immediately Danny and Dana turned around to look at Lindsay. The eyes of mother and daughter met, for the first time in years. And for a moment both of them were speechless, surprised and caught by their emotions.

**Preview: Lindsay and her mother talk while Danny listens to them. Stella tells Mac her plans have been stolen. Jessica sees a man with those plans at the cafe.**


	31. New Chances And New Difficulties

**Author's note: Thank you so much to everyone who's been reviewing this fic! Also thanks for taking the time to read it and for adding it! To the ones of you who read my fic 'Somewhere Out There', the first chapter of the sequel will be up soon. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554, Brown-Eyed Girl 75, SMacked Hard, saturn567, Desiree1989 and sucker-4-SMacked!**

**Chapter 31: New Chances And New Difficulties**

"Mom?" Lindsay was still standing in the doorway, staring at her mother in disbelief. Still she couldn't completely understand that Dana was in fact sitting on the living room couch across of Danny, glancing at her now. Too overwhelmed she was by the sudden event to notice the change of expression Dana had. It didn't stay unnoticed by her boyfriend. Both women were more than affected by facing each other again after so many years.

Lindsay knew she should react in any way. All she could do was standing there and staring though. After writing a letter to her mother that she would be happy to see her again, she had expected Dana would indeed head to New York to meet her daughter. Still this had been an almost unrealistic thought to her.

She was there now though, sitting there, also not sure on how to act or react. Lindsay could feel her heart beating faster. She was feeling a mix of excitement and fear rising inside her. Excitement because she had been waiting for this moment during the last year but had never dared to ask for it. Fear because she had no idea whether there was still a bond existing that was strong enough to make a proper conversation possible.

Danny, who had been watching the scene, could clearly feel the tension between the two women. He could only imagine how they were feeling; after so many years meeting for the first time again, with so many unspoken things between them. For a moment it caused him to think about his own family; how would he feel himself if he met them again one day? It would possibly be an even stranger feeling.

But at the moment there was something else he needed to focus on. Even though those two women were so different from each other, there were still a few things they had in common. Like the fact that they were hesitant and unsure. He knew he shouldn't interfere, but possibly he could at least help a bit.

"I met your mother when Don and I were on our way to my place," he said then, earning Lindsay's attention with that. "I asked her to come up and wait here with me. We talked a bit." He waved his hand at his girlfriend. "Why don't you come here and sit down? I think you had a long day."

Glancing at her boyfriend, Lindsay knew Danny was trying to ease the situation. Still she felt like she was dreaming; everything was so surreal. She barely noticed how she walked over to the couch. She felt how he gently took her hand and pulled her down into the seat next to him. Still she found him gazing at her and when their eyes met, a soft, warm smile lit his face and he squeezed her hand in a supportive gesture.

"Is it really alright to you that I came here to visit the two of you?" Dana asked then.

Lindsay knew the question was directed at her. Her mother was looking at her, right into her eyes. And all of the sudden she could feel it again, that old but still so familiar feeling she had always felt whenever her mother had looked at her. She could see warmth in her eyes, love. Love for her. So many times those eyes and the soft voice had managed to calm her down; as a baby girl when she hadn't been able to sleep, as a young child when she had been scared of the dark, as an older girl when she had been nervous about moving to the huge, strange city.

It was the moment when she realised how much she had missed this support. The love she found in those eyes now in an instant gave her the answer for the question that had been spinning in her mind ever since Dana had decided to go back to Montana. She hadn't left her in the city because she didn't love her enough. Possibly she had indeed done it for her. And despite herself, she felt the first tears rising in her eyes.

"Of course it's fine," she managed to say then. Lindsay felt how Danny again squeezed her hand. He encouraged her to continue. But this time Dana was faster.

"I have been waiting for this moment for a long time," she replied then. "I know I made a huge mistake when I just left. I should have talked to your father about the way I've been feeling more often. Possibly we would have found a solution. But what was even worse was my decision to go and not tell you why exactly I did so. I know it was a mistake, just like the fact I was too scared to contact the two of you over all those years. I can't just ask you to forgive me that I wasn't around you during all those years. All I can do is hoping that you'll give me the chance to be a good mother from now on. I can't turn back time, but...possibly we could still start fresh somehow."

While Dana was speaking, Danny was watching Lindsay closely. Still he was holding her hand, offering her support and comfort. He could see her expression change with every word she heard, could see how keeping her strong facade became almost impossible for her. Danny could feel how Lindsay tightened her small hand around his.

"Do you think you can give me a second chance?" Dana asked carefully. It was all she needed to say to break the wall her daughter had created around herself. Tears were flowing free now and she couldn't help the sobs that escaped her.

"I missed you so much," she managed to say between sobs. "I never knew how much until now. I don't want you to just go away again when I let you in again."

"I won't," Dana promised, fighting with her own tears. "This time I won't run away."

"Will you keep that promise?" Lindsay wanted to know. "If we start fresh?"

"Yes, I will," Dana answered determined.

Lindsay nodded. But instead of answering, she got up and walked over to the other couch. Almost instinctively Dana got up as well. This time she didn't hesitate. Tightly she closed her arms around her daughter and embraced her.

"I promise I won't run away. Will you believe me?" she whispered.

"Yes," her daughter answered.

Danny, who was still sitting on the couch, was watching the scene with a smile on his face. He had been excited how Lindsay would react when she would meet her mother again. He had hoped to see a moment like this and he was glad that they agreed to start fresh and give their relationship a new chance.

--------

Mac had just arrived home from work. It was an incredibly warm day in mid summer and he was grateful to arrive at his much cooler apartment. Mac was a man who thought that all those technical progresses that were made lately were great gifts for the human population. There were days like this when he had a different opinion about some of those.

The car for example. Not many people owned one so far and Mac didn't either. He could imagine that going by car was much easier and much more comfortable than going by horse, carriage or even by train. People were much more mobile with them. On warm days like that though, he also saw the disadvantages. The smoke was covering the city like a thick, smelly layer. So did the emissions coming from the huge factories. On warm days like that, the smoke in the air could really bother people, causing the temperatures to even increase.

Releasing a light sigh, Mac sat down on the thick, stuffed chair next to one of his living room windows. A glass of cold water surely would cool him off again. Looking out of the window, he couldn't help the smile that lit his face.

Not too long ago, Mac would have stayed at work until it got late and barely any person was out in the streets anymore. Now the streets were filled with people heading home after work and he wasn't locking himself into his office anymore. Instead he was at home, relaxing and thinking about possibly meeting Stella. Everything had gotten so much nicer since the two of them were together and it was a wonderful experience for him.

It was a knocking at the door that caught his attention. His smile widened. There was only one person he was expecting. Setting the glass aside onto the window sill, he headed over to the door to let her in.

"Hello Stella," he greeted. But the moment his eyes met hers, his expression turned serious. "Is everything alright?"

Instead of smiling like usually, he got the impression she looked almost shocked. Stella walked past him into his apartment with long, hectic steps. Immediately he felt concern rising inside him. Something had to have happened that had caused this for her unusual mood.

"What happened?" he wanted to know when he followed her into the living room.

"Someone stole my plans!" she exclaimed, stopping in the middle of the room and turning around to him. Still he could make out the shock, but next to that he saw the furious sparkles in her eyes.

"Your plans?" Mac looked at her in surprise. Stella nodded.

"Yes, my plans. The plans with drawings of my dresses, with all the information I need for my next collection! Hours, days, even weeks of hard work I invested. Someone stole them, Mac!"

"Are you sure someone really stole them?" Mac asked her, the instinct he had gained as a private investigator kicking in immediately.

Stella sighed deeply. "Do you think that I lost them somewhere? Mac, those plans...I need them for my job! I wouldn't just lose them."

Mac could see the desperation and anger in Stella's eyes. He sighed lightly, nodding. Of course she wasn't just a client he had to question and help. She was his girlfriend and he knew how much her job meant to her.

"So someone stole them all?" he wanted to know.

"Yes, all of them. Every plan of my new collection," she answered, trying to control her voice. "I always lock the door of my studio, but someone broke it open. The lock was damaged; that's what I noticed first. Then I realised the door was open. I knew something had to be wrong. And when I came inside, I couldn't find a single one of my plans anymore."

Mac nodded. He could feel the panic that was rising inside Stella, increasing with every passing moment. He could understand her of course. Stealing all her plans was like if someone broke into his office and stole every of the files he had in there.

"What can we do now?" she asked then. Stella was staring at Mac, her eyes pleading with him. He stepped closer, pulling her into his arms to comfort her.

"I think the best is to go back to your studio so I can have a look at the lock. Possibly the person who stole the plans left some hints that might help us," he suggested then. "Do you have any suspicions who could have done that?"

Stella shook her head. "No, I don't. But I think looking if we can find any hints to who did that would be helpful."

Mac nodded in agreement. He felt sorry that someone had dared to steal her plans. But he was determined to help her and find the person who was responsible for that.

--------

Ever since the man had entered the café, Jessica had known something was wrong with him. The first evidence for that had been the way he had looking around himself, like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to do. Then he had sat down in the quietest corner the café had to offer.

Of course he could just be a shy person. But he had caught Jessica's attention. She had seen this man before. From what she knew he was a new fashion designer, just starting his career in New York. Frankie Mala was his name. This wasn't the reason why she kept a close eyes on him though. The way he was acting and the giant bag he seemed to protect like a treasure were showing her something was wrong with him.

Jessica made sure she got the chance to take his order. With her professional smile she walked over to the man who had pulled something out of his bag. When she came closer, she realised he had spread some drawings across the table. Instinctively she glanced at them.

It took Jessica a moment to understand what she was seeing. Then her eyes widened barely noticeable. She knew those plans. A couple of them she had seen before. She looked up at Frankie, who had noticed her appearance but didn't even hide what she was sure he wasn't supposed to own.

"Hello," he said politely. "Could you bring me a coffee?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Jessica nodded. "Of course, sir."

Quickly she turned around and left the table again. She knew those drawings. Those plans. She knew who they belonged to. And she knew this man would never be able to own them, because the owner would never give him the permission for that. There was only one possible answer for that. They were stolen. And she had to do something.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay visit Sid together with Dana. Jessica talks to Stella about what she saw at the cafe.**


	32. It’s Love That Matters

**Author's note: Huge thanks again for the wonderful reviews and to everyone for reading this story! I think this fic might go on for many more chapters, so I hope you'll continue reading, there are many storylines planned! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight, Hannah554, saturn567, SMacked Hard and Desiree1989!**

**Chapter 32: It's Love That Matters**

When Jessica arrived at Stella's apartment, her heart was racing with nervousness. Staring at the wooden door, she wrapped her arms around herself tightly, pacing back and forth for a moment. Of course there was the chance everything was fine and her suspicion was just wrong. Possibly those plans she had seen were just similar to Stella's, possibly the man owned them and there was no need to worry.

But Jessica couldn't help the thought that Frankie Mala wasn't supposed to own those plans he had taken with him to the café. She and Lindsay had seen a lot of Stella's plans and if she wasn't completely wrong, those plans she had seen in front of Frankie were exactly the ones she had seen at Stella's studio already.

Jessica hadn't hesitated long. Quickly she had asked her father if she could quit work earlier because she needed to see Stella. Of course she hadn't told him about her suspicion; for the case she was wrong. Now she had arrived at her friend's apartment and was nervous. What if her suspicion was right? What if this man had indeed managed to steal Stella's plans? She didn't even dare to imagine.

Taking a deep breath, Jessica rubbed her hands over her skirt. She hadn't managed to change her working clothes. Too much she had hurried to get to Stella so she could ask her the question that would possibly answer what was happening. Once again she hesitated briefly. Then she knocked.

Jessica didn't have to wait long. A moment later the apartment door was opened. The second Jessica got to see her friend, she knew something was wrong. Dressed up like always, one who didn't know her could imagine everything was like always. A look into Stella's eyes was enough to see the truth though.

"Jessica?" A surprised expression lit Stella's eyes at the sight of the unexpected visitor. "Hey, I didn't expect you to visit me today. Don't you have to work?" She stepped aside to let her friend in.

"I have to, but I asked Dad to quit earlier," Jessica answered when the two women entered the living room. She turned around, not able to hide her concern any longer. "Stella, I need to talk to you about something. I think I witnessed something I wasn't supposed to see."

Stella's surprised expression changed into a concerned one. For a moment she seemed to forget her own worries at the words of her friend. "Really? What happened?"

Jessica released a deep sigh. She could clearly feel something was wrong; a fact that possibly was the proof for her theory.

"Do you miss any of your plans, Stella?" she asked then.

At the question, Stella's eyes widened in shock; enough for Jessica to know the answer. "How do you know that?" she asked. "I...indeed I'm missing some of my plans. Actually almost all of them. Someone must have stolen them today. When I went back to my studio, I found the door open and the plans missing."

Jessica bit her bottom lip at that. So she had been right indeed. Someone had stolen her friend's plans, like she had expected. Had she had any doubts that the visit wasn't a good idea and she was just overreacting, now she knew she couldn't have reacted any better.

"I think I know who stole your plans," she answered then. "I saw someone with plans at the café today. That's why I'm here. They looked exactly like yours. I didn't ask him about that, but I thought it has to be a really big coincidence if this man created drawings of dresses that looked exactly like yours."

"You...saw my plans?" Stella stared at Jessica with a mix of shock and surprise. "At the café?"

Jessica nodded. "Unfortunately I couldn't do anything yet, because I couldn't know if he really stole them and I didn't want to accuse him of that. So I came here immediately."

"Thank you for doing that, Jessica," Stella answered gratefully. Still the shock was evident in her voice. "Can you describe the man? We could go to the police."

"Actually I even know his name," Jessica answered. "I recognized him. The man I'm talking about was Frankie Mala. This new fashion designer. I'm sure you know him."

Once again Jessica could see Stella's expression changing. Immediately she realised that Stella understood.

"I can't believe it. He really came to find out where my plans are so he had it easier to steal them," she said more to herself than to her visitor.

"What do you mean?" Jessica asked.

Stella sighed. "Lindsay and I were discussing some dresses this morning when Frankie Mala visited me. He wanted me to show him around, but we managed to send him away. I immediately had a bad feeling. I think Lindsay felt the same way about him. I can't believe he actually was so mean and stole my plans!"

"And what are we going to do now?" Jessica wanted to know.

"We'll get them back," Stella answered determined. Instead of the shock from earlier, Jessica could see anger glistering in her friend's eyes. "I've been talking to Mac about that earlier. He left to go to his office to make some phone calls. I'm sure Danny or Don will help us as well, so will Lindsay. We need to get them back. Now that we know who stole them, it'll surely be easier. Mac will be glad to hear that we already have a name."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jessica agreed. "When will Mac be back? Maybe we could already head to the office building and meet him there."

Stella nodded. "He left a few minutes ago, so meeting him there is good I think."

With that she already headed to the front door, quickly followed by Jessica. They would get the plans back, especially now that they had a name. No matter how. Frankie Mala wouldn't get away with stealing Stella's work.

--------

Standing in front of the apartment door of Sid's penthouse, Lindsay instinctively squeezed the hand that was securely wrapped around hers. Glancing up at her boyfriend, she found Danny looking at her, a supportive warmth in his eyes, encouraging her. She gave him a light smile, nodding.

It felt good to know he was at her side. Lindsay could still remember how she had felt during her relationship with Katums. Still she could remember how many times she had wished to just break up with him, to be a single woman, no matter what people were thinking about her then. A woman was supposed to marry a man as quickly as possible. A woman wasn't allowed to have high hopes; she had to please her husband, no matter whether she was happy with that or not. Women had rights they could be proud of; they were allowed to vote for example. So society awaited that they followed the rules of their roles; they had to be good wives, no matter how the man was treating her.

Lindsay hadn't liked that attitude though. She didn't like to be someone's slave and she also didn't like to be beaten up every day by a man who just used her. This had been what had made her do the huge step of asking Danny to help her with this man. All she had hoped for was that she wouldn't have to marry Katums. She had gotten what she had wanted. And she had gotten so much more than that.

If she had thought that it was better to be a single woman than to be in a relationship, now Lindsay had changed her mind. Now she was together with Danny and she knew how it felt like when a man didn't treat her like a slave but instead loved her from the bottom of his heart. All he wanted was her to be happy and so he was willing to support her, always and no matter what she needed support for. He was there to hold her hand now, supporting her while her mother was going to meet her father again after all those years.

Despite the serious and tension-filled situation, Lindsay couldn't help but smile lightly. So many difficult moments he had managed for her. He had risked everything to get her away from Katums and arrest the criminal man. He had gone to that dinner party for her, even though he had been so incredibly nervous. He had opened up to her about his past, even though it had been very hard for him to talk about it. He had listened to her family story, had helped her with the letter, talked to her mother and then had held her hand and supported her while she had to meet Dana. Now he was at her side again and she knew it didn't matter how difficult a situation could be. Danny was there for her. The knowledge of that filled her with a strength she didn't even know existed. Together with him she was strong and he gave her the confidence back that she was able to stand on her own. She was a strong woman and he was never getting tired of showing that to her.

A couple of minutes had passed since they had knocked at the door of Sid's apartment. He was already awaiting them; they had called him to announce their visit. When the door was opened, a huge smile lit Sid's face when he saw Danny and Lindsay and like always he greeted them with tight embraces.

"I have to say I was surprised to hear you two wanted to visit me now," he said. But before he could add more, his eyes found the third visitor, glancing at him with an expression full of emotions and shyness.

"Dana," Sid said, his voice clearly revealing the immediate affect the sight of his wife had on him.

"It has been a long time, Sidney," she answered. "You didn't expect me to really come back to New York to visit you, did you?"

Sid glanced at Danny and Lindsay, who were watching him, waiting for his reaction. Then he looked back at Dana. A lot of suppressed emotions were rising inside him. When he had answered the letter, he had hoped for her to come back, but never dared to imagine she really would, not after all those years. Now his wife was in fact standing in front of him and he was overwhelmed by the surprise.

"Maybe we should talk inside," he suggested then.

Dana nodded. "I think that is a very good idea."

Nodding, Sid stepped aside, allowing his wife and Danny and Lindsay to walk into the large penthouse. Then he closed the door again and followed them.

At first the tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. Danny and Lindsay were sitting on one of Sid's large living room couches. Still they were holding hands. Lindsay's hand was tightly wrapped around Danny's, almost squeezing it all the time. Danny could feel the emotions inside Lindsay, just like they were flowing through their hands and into his own body. He was glad he had agreed to join them on their visit, giving her the support she needed.

Sid and Dana were sitting across of each other in two of Sid's thick chairs. Neither of them had spoken a word yet, apart from Sid's questions if they wanted to drink something. Somewhere along the line, one of them needed to break the silence though, but so far neither of them had dared to make this step. After a couple of endlessly long minutes, it was Dana who released a light sigh.

"I think if we continue acting like that, it won't lead to anything," she said then. "Sidney, I came here for a reason. I know I made mistakes in the past. It took me a while to understand it wasn't right to just disappear without actually saying anything. I know I can't turn back time, I know I can't change that I broke your heart. All I want is to let you know that I'm incredibly sorry for what I did back then. I should never even have considered to leave my family and head back. I should have stayed here. I should have tried to find another way."

"It wasn't just you who made mistakes," Sid answered, for the first time since they had entered the apartment actually looking at Dana. "I know we came to New York to have an easier life. I know I worked a lot and I should have spent more time with my family."

"I understand you did it for us," Dana said.

Sid nodded. "That I did. But I also know it was the reason why we drifted apart. I should have noticed that. But I didn't until you decided you had enough of our marriage. I was too busy with earning more and more money."

"Possibly you would have noticed it if I had told you how I was feeling," Dana suggested.

Sid shrugged. "Maybe." He paused for a moment. "I can understand you though. That you wanted to go back. Possibly it wasn't just the reason that we drifted apart. Maybe you just...didn't feel enough for me anymore."

Dana looked up in surprise. "No, that was not the reason," she answered. "I should have told you how I was feeling because I felt lonely. I shouldn't have run away and after finding out what I did was wrong, I should have just come back to you. But I didn't and I regret that more than anything." She sighed lightly. "Sidney, I wanted to come back to see you and Lindsay and explain to you how I'm feeling. I'm sorry, I can only repeat it over and over again. But there is one more thing I want you to know. I love you. I always did and I still do. I could understand if over the years and after what I did, your feelings for me have cooled down, or aren't existent anymore. But I want you to know that I still love you."

The surprised look Sid was giving Dana at her statement revealed he had expected a lot, but not such a confession. For a moment he was silent, thinking about what he had just learnt. Tears were glistering in his eyes, but this time he didn't try to hide his emotions; in his eyes one of the reasons that had gotten them right into this situation.

"How could I ever stop loving you, Dana?" he answered then, smiling at the way his wife glanced back at him. He got up from his chair and walked over to hers. Willingly she accepted his hand and let him help her to get up. "Just like you, I'm still loving you. The past can't be wiped away, but I think those feelings are a good start. Possibly the beginning of a fresh start, if we really want it and are willing to work for it."

Dana stared back at her husband for a moment. Then she simply wrapped her arms around Sid and pressed herself tightly against him, allowing him to do what he had been wishing to do for such a long time; embrace her.

Danny and Lindsay, who were still sitting on the couch, exchanged a look, both of them smiling. They had been excited because of this meeting. So many emotions were involved and both of them were amazed by how wonderful everyone had allowed themselves and each other to talk about them. Both of them also were determined to keep this rule in mind; they had to talk to each other. And they knew that one could have as much money as they could get, it wasn't what was important to make a relationship work. All that really mattered was love.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay find out about Stella's stolen plans. The friends all meet to discuss what to do next.**


	33. Working Together

**Author's note: Huge thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews again! Also huge thanks for reading! I'm so glad you're still following this fic! With the stealing of the plans, I've started a storyline that might last for the next couple of chapters (around ten chapters) with a few twists here and there and some trouble. I hope you'll like it. Special thanks to Hannah554, afrozenheart412, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, SMacked Hard and Desiree1989!**

**Chapter 33: Working Together**

Holding hands, the couple was walking down the street that led to their shared apartment. Officially they weren't allowed to share an apartment yet; Danny and Lindsay would have to marry first. So far they weren't married yet, but they were practically engaged and even if they weren't, they wouldn't care. It was their love that was uniting them and neither of them cared whether they were allowed to see each other or not.

Like always when he was together with her, Danny glanced at Lindsay, taking in the beautiful appearance of his girlfriend. She was wearing a white blouse and a long, black skirt. Her light brown curls were falling down onto her delicate shoulders. He loved to see her like that. He loved to see her in every of her clothes; sometimes the elegant dresses with the feather boas, sometimes the plain blouses and long skirts, sometimes a nice little hat here and there. For him she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and still he was amazed it was him she was going to marry.

"I'm so glad they're both willing to give each other a second chance," Lindsay said then. Danny smiled lightly at the excitement he could hear in her voice. He knew how much she had hoped that her mother would return and that they could talk out the problems they had had. Danny wasn't surprised Lindsay had agreed to starting fresh so quickly; even though the fact that Dana had simply headed to Montana alone had hurt her a lot, she had always wanted to get back to the close relationship she had shared with her mother before. That Sid would agree to give their marriage a second chance that easily though had surprised the both of them. In a good way.

"I told you it wasn't childish to hope they would get back together," he answered. "Obviously they still love each other, so the chances are good that their fresh start might work."

Lindsay nodded. Linking her arm with his now, she snuggled against his side. "I'm so glad the two of us won't get into such a situation. I know we both have a difficult time with speaking out what we're thinking sometimes, but we really have to do it. I want us to be happy and I know it's something we have to work for to make it happen."

Danny couldn't hide his surprised smile at her confession, but even more at the sudden way she was getting so close to him on a public street. There were cars and carriages everywhere and people walking around, but she didn't mind. He could imagine where the sudden wish for closeness was coming from. All the time Lindsay had tried to follow the rules of society. Slowly, very slowly, she started to understand that she wasn't this woman who tried to suppress her feelings, who only followed what was awaiting from her. She was a strong and independent person if she wanted to and she was in love with him. She wanted to enjoy their relationship and she didn't want to always wonder what other people were possibly thinking about her.

Using his chance, he bent down a bit and placed a gentle yet quick kiss into her curly hair, causing her to look up at him in happy surprise.

"I love you," he told her softly.

"I love you, too," she replied, her smile widening.

Snuggling closer against his side, they continued their way back to their apartment.

They had barely arrived their apartment door, when the shrill sound of Danny's ringing phone inside caught their attention. Quickly they hurried up the stairs, opened the door and almost stumbled into the place to take the phone call. Phone calls were rarely made, just because all the people they knew lived close enough together to just meet for a chat. Still a phone was needed sometimes and was used when getting in contact was very important. Which was why they hurried to get to the ringing object.

"Hello? Danny Messer speaking," Danny answered the phone. There weren't many people who owned his phone number and he already had a suspicion who was possibly calling. His suspicion was right.

_Danny, it's me, Mac,_ the expected person answered.

"Hello," Danny greeted. "Why are you calling, do you need me at work again?"

_Yes, in fact I do, _Mac answered. It was the first time Danny noticed the tone in his friend's voice. Lindsay had stepped next to him, trying to hear what the conversation was about.

"Is everything alright, Mac?" Danny wanted to know.

The sigh Mac released was answer enough already._ I need you and Lindsay to come over to our office._

In surprise, Danny raised his eyebrows. "The both of us?" he asked confused. "Why do you need the both of us to come?" He glanced at Lindsay, who was looking up at him with a questioning expression.

_Stella found out that someone has stolen almost all of her plans,_ Mac answered.

"Her plans? What plans?" Danny wanted to know. Still looking at Lindsay, he noticed how her eyes widened at what she had been able to hear.

_The plans she creates for her dresses,_ Mac explained. _Someone broke into her studio and stole them all. I'll explain the rest to you when you come here. I'm sorry I have to disturb; I know you have something else to do, but it would be good if you two could come over._

Once again Danny looked at Lindsay, who nodded. "Alright, Mac. We're on our way," he answered then and hung up.

"Someone stole Stella's plans? I can't believe it!" Lindsay exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I wonder who could have done that? Maybe this man who visited us this morning."

"What man?" Danny wanted to know while they headed back to the apartment door.

"There was another fashion designer at her studio this morning when I was there as well," Lindsay answered. "We both thought he was acting strange. But stealing her plans? I can't believe someone's that mean."

Danny nodded. "Yes. But whoever did that, we'll find them."

Nodding in agreement, Lindsay and Danny headed downstairs to meet their friends. Both of them were determined to find out whoever had done that.

--------

When Danny and Lindsay arrived at Mac's office, they found all their friends in there as well. Stella and Jessica were sitting on the couch in the office, Mac was standing near his window and Flack was sitting in one of the chairs. Both of them looked at the group in surprise.

"This is really serious, isn't it?" Danny looked at Mac. He could imagine Stella's plans were important, but so far he seemed to have not been aware of just how important they really were.

Lindsay, who had sat down next to Stella, gently took one of her hands into hers, squeezing it gently. "They were all stolen?" she asked softly. She knew those plans were everything Stella needed for doing her job. She knew how precious they were; they included all her ideas. If someone used all her ideas now, the work of weeks and months had been useless.

Stella nodded. "I came to my studio again after we've been to the café. The lock was broken and the door was open. There were barely any of my plans left."

"Do we have an idea who could have done that?" Danny wanted to know. He sat down in a chair next to Mac's office. The tension in the room was thick; everyone could understand how their friend was feeling about her work being stolen by someone, possibly to even be used by that person.

Mac nodded. "Coincidentally Jessica saw the man who stole them," he answered.

Lindsay's eyes widened in surprise when she turned to her friend. "You saw him? At the café?"

"Yes," Jessica replied. "I've noticed the plans and they looked familiar to me. So I wondered if he was supposed to have them and headed to Stella to ask her."

"She could even tell me the name," Stella added.

Lindsay nodded. "May I try to guess? The person who stole them is Frankie Mala?" When Stella nodded, she sighed and continued, "So he came to you this morning to have a look at the studio and figure out how to get in there best. And then he came back to steal the plans. I can't believe it! He's a fashion designer, he should know how much such plans mean. He's not even able to do them himself."

Once again Lindsay shook her head. She could feel anger rising inside her; something that didn't happen often. Even though she had met a lot of people with bad attitudes, one of them she had even been an abusive ex-boyfriend, she still believed in the good sides of mankind. Usually it wasn't easy to make her angry. But being an emotional person who loved the people that were close to her, it made her furious when others hurt them in any way.

"So we even know who stole those plans?" Danny asked. "Then why don't we just meet him and get them back from him?"

"The problem is, I didn't sign all of my work. He could easily claim most of it is his. And the rest he could just let disappear," Stella explained with a deep sigh.

"And what else are we going to do?" Flack wanted to know. "I don't think sitting here will help us. This man stole the plans and we need to get them back; because you need them for your work and because we want to prevent him from using them. Also this is a crime; he needs to be punished for it."

"That he does," Mac agreed. "But we need to find the best way to get into contact with this man. Just rushing over to his place possibly won't help."

"Well, he was careless enough to just go into the café and spread them all over his table," Jessica said, still not able to believe that the robber had acted like that. "Possibly he doesn't expect anyone to believe that he did that."

"Possibly he just didn't expect anyone in the café to know that those plans belong to Stella, especially not because she usually doesn't show them to anyone," Flack replied. "He couldn't know you're one of the very few people who get to see the plans."

"That's true," Lindsay agreed. "But what are we going to do now? So in fact we can't prove much. We also can't just head over there because he'll possibly expect us to do so. But there has to be something to do! That's why we met, right? Because we want to do something to get the plans back. Especially because we know exactly who stole them."

Danny glanced at Lindsay, smiling at his girlfriend warmly. He could hear the determination in her voice, he could even see it in her body language. The way she was sitting there, all straight, her eyes sparkling and her hands grabbing handfuls of her skirt, clearly showed how much she wanted to help her friend. This was another side of her he loved a lot. She was very loyal and whenever a friend needed her, she was there to help them.

When it came to herself, Lindsay sometimes was hesitant and unsure. When it came to helping and supporting people she loved, she was completely different. Like when she had wanted to find Danny's family; she hadn't hesitated a second to help him with that. And now she wanted to try everything to get Stella's plans back, not afraid of whatever she had to do.

"I think maybe that calls for an undercover job again," Danny suggested then. He could remember the last time he had been on an undercover job; it had been his attempt at catching Katums. But he didn't like to think about that job anymore.

"That could work," Mac agreed, nodding at the suggestion. "I think I might do that. I'll ask Frankie Mala to meet me, possibly tomorrow morning. I could tell him I'm interested in his plans and he could show them to me. Possibly I could find a way to learn more, to find out where he got them from."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Stella asked concerned.

"Don't worry. Mac is good with undercover jobs, and I don't think Frankie Mala expects anything bad when he meets someone who's obviously interested in his work," Danny answered for his boss.

"So we'll do it like that then?" Flack wanted to know.

Mac nodded. "I'll just send him a telegram to tell him when to meet and where."

While Mac headed to his desk and the others started to chat about how to catch Frankie, Danny walked over to Lindsay and sat down next to her on the armrest of the couch. He smiled at her when she looked up at him. The day had been full of events and a lot had happened. Some of those things had been wonderful, other hadn't been so nice, but all of those events had in common that they had been very emotional. But once again they were glad to have each other. Each other, their families and friends.

**Preview: How will the team's plan work?**


	34. Unexpected Turns

**Author's note: Thanks so much for those lovely reviews! Also thanks for reading! Special thanks to Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554, SMacked Hard and saturn567!**

**Chapter 34: Unexpected Turns**

It was late, getting close to midnight. Danny and Lindsay were lying in the middle sized bed in their shared bedroom. Both of them were supposed to sleep. Neither of them could calm down enough to fall asleep though. Too much had happened during the day. They couldn't just push all those events away and sleep.

Releasing a light sigh, Lindsay rolled onto her back, staring towards the white ceiling, which now had a strange greyish colour. The large wooden mechanical fan that was usually cooling down the air at especially hot days looked how almost scary in the dark of the room. Only a few lights from the street lights outside were brightening up the room.

It wasn't the almost surreal atmosphere though that prevented her from falling asleep. In the morning the day had seemed to be a day like every other. She had visited Stella and later been to a café with her. She had even caught herself by wondering if maybe Stella's idea of her joining her in her business as her partner was actually something she should consider.

Who would have expected that when she would come home then, she would find out her mother had indeed decided to meet her? And who would have expected that a few conversations and a few honest words about feelings would be enough for all people involved to make huge steps into each other's directions and allow them to start fresh? Still this was exactly what had happened. The day had turned to be perfect. Until they had found out that Frankie Mala, a fashion designer, had stolen plans for Stella's dresses.

"Can't you also fall asleep?" Danny asked into the quiet of their bedroom.

"No," Lindsay answered, sighing lightly. She heard the rustling of fabric before the light of the lamp on the bedside table was switched on. Danny seemed to be just as awake as her.

"It has been a day full of events," he told her, lying back down next to her, on his side so he could watch her.

Lindsay nodded. "That, and I'm still thinking about how we could help Stella. Should we really wait until tomorrow morning to act? Possibly he's already using her plans and doing something with them."

"I know what you mean," Danny answered. "But I don't think he will. Mac called him and asked him to have a look at all his plans. He even told him a prize for the case they would work together. I don't think a person like Frankie Mala will just run to anyone else. Stella told us that Mac's offer was way too high for the stuff Frankie has. He won't find anyone else who'd pay him more."

"I hope you're right," Lindsay replied. "I just...wish we could do more for her. I know how much those plans mean to her and she needs them back. I want to do more than just waiting and seeing what will happen."

"I know you want to do more," Danny said, giving her a warm smile. "That's one thing I love about you. That you want to do everything for the ones who mean so much to you. But at the moment it's the best to try and sleep."

"I could at least be at her side and show her support," Lindsay suggested. But Danny shook his head.

"You did exactly that. You've been supporting her all the time; I almost had to force you to go back home with me. Tonight Mac is at her side and supporting her. Just try to relax and sleep a bit. Look, we're something like a big family, aren't we? We'll find a way to help her."

Nodding, Lindsay sighed lightly once again. She knew of course that Danny was right. But still it was annoying her that they couldn't just rush over to Frankie Mala and simply get the plans back, making sure he got the punishment he deserved.

"So, how are you feeling now after this eventful day?" Danny continued then. He had moved closer to her now, gently running his hand through her curly hair. It was just a simple little gesture, but it was enough for her to feel incredibly comfortable. He always had this effect on her.

"I'm still feeling good actually," Lindsay answered, smiling back at him. "I'm glad we could talk about all those problems and difficulties. I didn't expect that talking about your feelings like that can make you feel so much better and that it's so much easier to solve difficult situations."

Danny nodded in agreement. "It's not always that easy to talk about feelings. You and me both know how much courage it takes to open up about your deepest and most intimate feelings with someone else, even if it's a person you love. In fact it's what you need to do though. It's what got us together. It's what got our friends together."

"And it's also what made my family and me realise we should give each other a second chance and start fresh," Lindsay added. "I only hope that this time it will work."

"I'm sure it will," Danny reassured her. Bending forward, he placed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "I hope you start to understand that there is also no need to suppress feelings. I know it's what you've been taught since childhood. But you shouldn't do that. I know you have to control your emotional outbursts, because those can get you into trouble. It doesn't mean you're not allowed to have feelings at all, apart from happy ones. I'm sure everyone of that high society had moments where they just wanted to beat someone up."

Lindsay laughed at his comment, imagining people she knew to react like that. "Possibly. I promise I'll try to be more open with my feelings," she told him then. "How about you though? What do you think you'll do when you get to meet your family finally? Isn't that an exciting prospect?"

Lindsay noticed Danny's expression immediately changing at her words. His face turned serious again and he lowered his gaze.

"I don't think I will even hear from them," he answered quietly.

Lindsay looked at him in surprise. "Why do you think that?"

Danny shrugged. "They haven't heard from me in years."

"But that doesn't mean anything," Lindsay replied. "You're still their family member. You're still your parents' son. This didn't change, no matter how many years later it is since you saw them for the last time. They sent you to America to protect you. Possibly they're just as concerned as you've been. Who knows if you made it over here? I'm sure when your letter arrives, they will be incredibly happy to hear that you're fine and to read what you've managed to do."

"Do you think so?" Danny asked, still with insecurity in his voice.

Lindsay nodded determined. "Yes, I believe that. I know that. I don't know how easily they can come over to visit you; Italy is far away and such a journey wouldn't be easy for your whole family. But I'm certain they will send you a letter back and will restart the contact between you. I know it will be like that."

Still she could see a hint of hesitation in his eyes. But next to that, a smile lit his face. "Alright, I think I'll just believe in that as well," he answered.

She smiled back at him. "That's good. So we both have something to do."

With that Lindsay moved closer to Danny and cuddled against him, sighing happily when she felt how he wrapped his arms around her. The lamp on the bedside table was switched off again. But this time it didn't take the couple long to fall asleep. On one thought both of them agreed. They were a great help for each other.

--------

It was early in the morning, so early that there was barely any New Yorker out in the streets yet. Mac was glad about that. As much as he loved his job, he couldn't deny that undercover jobs were his least favourite parts of it.

Pulling his long, black coat tighter around his body, Mac walked faster. He had a goal. He was going to head to Angell's café. Cliff had allowed him to meet Frankie Mala there before he would open the café for his guests. He would unlock it very early in the morning and then leave so the two men had a quiet place for their meeting. Cliff knew about what had happened; Jessica had told him about it. Being the helpful man he was, he had immediately suggested Mac could meet the robber at his café.

Once again Mac mentally replayed what he wanted to say. He needed to be careful if he didn't want Frankie to notice who he really was immediately. He was carrying a large case, filled with paper; some of Stella's old plans to make him look like he knew what he was talking about. The couple had spent the entire night with discussing what he could say and what he needed to know. Stella had filled him in about everything.

But despite the fact Mac wasn't a fan of undercover jobs, he was determined to not pull back. This job had to work. It just had to. He had seen it in Stella's eyes; she needed to get those plans back. And Mac was determined to get this smile of her he loved so much back when he would return with everything she needed, telling her that Frankie Mala had been arrested by him.

When Mac spotted the café, his heart started to beat faster. This was one of the reasons why he usually didn't believe in working a case that involved a client he knew. Too many emotions were involved. But he was professional enough to not let them affect his work.

Taking a deep sigh, Mac straightened himself. Then he pushed the glass door of the café open. Like expected, the room was empty and dark; no guest was anywhere to see yet. He closed the door again and let his eyes wander through the inside of the café.

"Mr Frankie Mala?" he shouted. No answer.

Mac glanced at his watch. He was in time, so much was for sure. He was even a little late so he would make sure Frankie would already be there. But there didn't seem to be any hint that the man had arrived yet.

"Mr Mala?" Mac shouted again. He stepped further into the room. His eyes wandered to the left, over to the tables near the window. What he saw then caused him to drop his case in shock.

"Mr Mala!" Mac exclaimed, rushing over to the man who was lying on the tiled floor of the café. On the table he had obviously been sitting at before, he found a couple of the plans he had been looking for. Those plans were covered with tiny splatters of something red. Blood. The same blood that was covering a huge amount of the ground around and under Frankie Mala, with no doubt caused by the huge shotgun wound in his chest.

"Mr Mala, can you hear me? Mr Mala!" Mac shouted, pressing his index and middle finger against the man's pulse point at his neck. Nothing. Mac grabbed Frankie's arm, pushing the sleeve of his jacket upwards to check his wrist. Again there was nothing. Mac slid a hand into the pocket of his jacket, fishing a small mirror out of it which he held under the nose of the shot man. But the mirror stayed the way it was; no fog that could have revealed the man was still breathing.

For a moment Mac stared at the man in front of him. He had expected a lot, but not to find Frankie shot. So far he couldn't make a rhyme of what could have happened before he had arrived at the café. Obviously Frankie had indeed been faster than him. But before Mac had arrived, someone else had been faster. Someone who had had a reason to shoot Frankie.

Throwing another glance at the man, Mac got up from his kneeling position. Quickly he made his way over to the bar of the café. He knew that Cliff had a phone. Hectically he scanned the area around the bar, releasing a relieved sigh when he found the phone at the wall. Still with his heart racing due to the sudden turn of events, Mac made his phone call.

--------

"Mac Taylor?" The voice of the arriving policeman caused Mac to look up towards the door. After calling the police for help, he had knelt down next to Frankie again. Unfortunately he hadn't been able to do anything for the man anymore.

"I'm over here," Mac said, getting up again. He had hoped that Flack or any other policeman he knew due to his work would arrive. The man who was standing in front of him now though he had never seen before.

The officer nodded. "I'm Officer Malone." He stepped over to where Mac was standing, glancing down at Frankie. "Mr Taylor, you came here and found Mr Mala like that?"

Mac nodded. "Yes, I was supposed to meet him here. But when I entered this café, I found him like that."

Office Malone raised his eyebrows lightly. "You wanted to meet him? That early, even though this café isn't even supposed to be open yet?"

Mac nodded again. "Yes. It's a long story to tell. This meeting has been part of an undercover job. I'm private investigator..."

"Alright. You'll have to tell me this story, Mr Taylor," Officer Malone interrupted, more sternly now. "Because at the moment what you're telling me sounds very suspicious to me."

Mac's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean with that?" In shock he watched how Malone grabbed his handcuffs and before Mac could contradicted, grabbed his arms and locked them around his wrists. "Officer Malone, I told you what happened here. What's all that here about? What are those handcuffs for? It was me who called you, don't you at least listen to what I witnessed and why I came here?"

"You can tell me your story at our police station," Malone replied simply. "To me your story sounds strange; you met this man here, before any other guest would show up? You say this was part of an undercover job and coincidentally the man you want to see and who obviously is your target for whatever reason shows up shot? I have to say, until I hear every detail of this mysterious story, I want to have a close eye on you. If you would follow me now, Mr Taylor."

Still overwhelmed by what was happening around him, Mac followed Officer Malone out of the café while the other policemen entered it to continue their work. Of course he could understand the circumstance seemed to be suspicious to the officer who didn't know the whole story yet. Getting handcuffed without getting the chance to explain himself completely though; this he couldn't understand. And Mac knew; he would need to come up with more than just the whole story of what had happened.

**Preview: The friends have to figure out what to do after Mac being arrested.**


	35. Support For A Good Friend

**Author's note: Thanks to everyone who's been voting for this fic in my profile so far! Huge thanks for reviewing and for reading this story! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, Hannah554, Rosa Atrus, SMacked Hard, lily moonlight, rocksmacked and Desiree1989!**

**Chapter 35: Support For A Good Friend**

It was an early morning, the sun had just appeared at the horizon, the long, bright sunrays finding their way through the tall buildings of New York City. Many people were awake already, a couple of them in the streets, heading to their daily business. Another couple of them were still lying in their beds, allowing themselves a few more moments of restful sleep.

The apartment Danny and Lindsay shared was one of them. Still deep asleep, the couple was lying in bed, holding each other in their usual tight embrace, tangled in their thick blanket. Everything was quiet, peaceful. Nothing was disturbing their much needed sleep.

Until the shrill sound of the telephone cut through the silence. It was a loud, metallic noise, sounding almost the same way an alarm clock did. Tensing at the sound, Danny blinked, slowly opening his eyes. Confused by the noise, he turned to his alarm clock, noticing it wasn't the cause of what had woken him up. It took him another couple of moments to realise it was actually his giant phone, which caused him to groan in annoyance.

"What is that?" the sleepy voice of Lindsay asked. Sighing lightly, she moved to sit up, just like Danny.

"It's just my phone. Just stay here, I'll see who's disturbing us that early in the morning," he told her, giving her a gentle kiss.

While Lindsay let herself fall back against the pillows, Danny got up from the bed. Wrapping himself into his long, dark bathing robe, he headed into the living room. Even though he knew it wasn't possible, the loud sound seemed to increase with every ringing. There weren't many people who would call him that early already. He didn't expect it to be Mac yet; according to his clock, his boss would just be meeting Frankie Mala. He dearly hoped his friend would get them the information they needed, or, even better, could already make a move to get the plans back and the thief arrested.

He knew Mac didn't like undercover jobs, which was the reason why Danny usually was doing them. Not that much anymore since he was together with Lindsay. But still he was doing them most of the time. This time he understood that Mac wanted to meet Frankie himself. In the past, Mac had told him to not let cases get too personal for him. Danny knew that he had said that because it was the truth of course, but also because of Mac's fear to get involved in emotions too much anyways. Now that he was together with Stella, things looked differently, and just like Danny had wanted to catch Katums himself, he understood that Mac wanted to make the same happen with Frankie.

Finally reaching the phone, he grabbed the heavy handset, grateful about the nagging noise stopping immediately.

"Yeah?" he answered, not caring about any polite ways to greet his caller. He was too tired to actually care and the chances that someone else but a friend would be calling were very small.

_Good morning,_ the voice of Flack blurted through the phone, like he had expected. Even though he sounded strange like always due to the technology that was separating the two men, Danny immediately caught the sound in his friend's voice; a sound that revealed something wasn't alright.

"Don? What's wrong?" Danny wanted to know, not bothering to start any kind of conversation but instead heading right to the reason of the phone call.

His suspicion had been right. Flack sighed at the other end of the phone. _You need to come here. You, and Lindsay as well if you want. It's because of Mac. He got a problem._

Hearing the answer, Danny's eyes widened. "What? Something happened to him? Did Mala attack him?"

_No, he didn't,_ Flack answered, his voice now clearly revealing his concern for their friend. _In fact currently people are thinking it was Mac who attacked Mala._

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, not understanding what his friend wanted to tell him. "Who thinks Mac attacked this guy? And why? Did they beat each other up?"

Once again Flack sighed. _No. Frankie Mala was killed. Mac said he found him when he entered Cliff's café this morning. You know, they wanted to meet there before the café would actually open._

"Yes, I know," Danny answered, still confused by what he was hearing. "So Mac found him killed in the café? But why do they think..." It was the moment when he finally understood. His eyes widened in shock and he gasped at what he had just realised. "Oh no, don't tell me anyone's thinking Mac killed Mala?"

_That's why you need to come here, _Flack told him. _I don't know why exactly he did that, but Officer Malone, you know, this new man, arrested him because he didn't believe his story. I tried to explain that everything was an undercover job and that we planned that together because of what happened to Stella. I think I only made it worse though, because now this man is convinced he even found the motive. He's at the police station now, we need to find a way to get him out there again._

Danny sighed himself. He understood what Flack was talking about. Everything possibly had seemed to be strange to the new officer. Of course the undercover job could have convinced him, but obviously the man had turned things around so that now it looked like Mac had possibly tried to get revenge. "I'll come over. Just give me a few minutes."

With that Danny hung up again. For a moment he remained standing in front of his phone, staring at the dark, big object. In disbelief he shook his head. Even though he didn't know the entire story behind this situation, he could imagine what had happened. Quickly he made his way back into the bedroom, where Lindsay was sitting, giving him a concerned look when he entered.

"What happened?" she wanted to know.

"I have to head to the police station and meet Don there. Mac was arrested," he explained while starting to get dressed already.

"What?" With shock clearly visible in her eyes, she practically jumped up from the bed, staring at him in disbelief. "Why would someone arrest Mac? What did he do?"

"He found Frankie Mala killed in Cliff's café," Danny answered, trying to prevent himself from getting hectic. "A new officer arrested him. Don tried to explain the situation, but the guy is convinced that Mac took things into his own hands."

"Oh no!" Lindsay covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening. "I hope we can find a way to prove he didn't do anything wrong. Mac would never kill anyone, not even because of revenge."

Danny nodded. "Exactly. That's why I need to see if I can do anything. Do you want to join me? You also witnessed our talk and you know Mac pretty good already. Also..." He blushed lightly. "Also maybe the fact that you're Sid's daughter convinces him you're not just a liar. Sorry about that."

Despite the fact he was hinting towards the fact she was from the upper class and obviously didn't like himself that he was mentioning it, Lindsay couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think that's a bonus here," she told him. "And I think it might be better if I go and see how Stella is. I'm not sure if Don called her already as well. I think she'll want to know Mac is in prison and she'll want to help him. After all it's all about what happened to her plans; this is the reason why we decided that Mac would do this job."

Once again, Danny nodded. "Alright, that sounds like a good idea to me. I'll meet you at the prison then."

"Fine." Lindsay walked over to where Danny was standing near the door of his bedroom. For a moment she watched him, before she closed her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. "Take care, alright? Don't get yourself in trouble when this officer makes you angry. We'll find a way to help Mac. He didn't do anything wrong."

"I know." Kissing her back, Danny gave Lindsay a soft smile. "And you make sure that Stella isn't the one who rushes to the prison and gets herself in trouble."

Laughing at his comment, she nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take care of her."

With that Lindsay kissed Danny again before she turned back to the closet to get dressed as well.

--------

When Danny arrived at the large building of the police station, he could feel an uncomfortable feeling rising inside him immediately. He didn't like to be anywhere close to places like this. Not that he had ever had to stay in prison or anything comparable, but Danny knew he had been close to it. There had been occasions before he had started to work as a private investigator where he had done a few things that had gotten him into trouble. Working on this side of the law how had changed him a lot, but it didn't change he still felt strange around police officers, except around Flack.

This time a person close to him was in trouble though; a person Danny had never expected to get into such a situation. If there was a person Danny couldn't see to ever having problems with the police, it was his boss. Now Mac was accused to be a murderer and he couldn't believe it. In his eyes, there was no doubt that Mac hadn't done anything wrong. This police officer who had been the first at the crime scene though didn't know Mac as good as he did, and possibly had gotten a completely wrong impression. An impression they had to change now.

Barely Danny had entered the building when he already noticed Flack rushing over to him. The concern in his friend's eyes was another proof of how serious the current situation was.

"Good that you could come," he greeted him.

Danny nodded. "I came as quickly as I could. Lindsay wanted to go to Stella and tell her what happened. She might want to know, and she might be helpful."

"Yes, I think that as well," Flack agreed. "But before Stella and Lindsay arrive here, I would be glad if we could try to act already. Mac needs our help."

"But what exactly is the problem, why is he is here now?" Danny wanted to know while he followed his friend to one of the small, glassed doors along the dark, slightly dirty wall right to the entrance.

Flack shrugged. "Officer Malone said he arrived and that Mac called them earlier. He said he doesn't understand why Mac had to meet Mala before the café would even open. I told him everything was part of an undercover job because Frankie Mala is suspected to have stolen Stella's plans and that we all arranged this together to make sure the two men could talk without anyone interrupting."

Danny nodded. "Good. And that didn't convince him?"

Flack sighed deeply. "No, not at all. Because accidentally I also said that Stella is his girlfriend. Now Officer Malone thinks that even though we planned this undercover job together, maybe Mac headed to the meeting with the intention to get revenge and get the plans back in a more brutal way."

"But that's nonsense!" Danny exclaimed, following Flack into his office, who closed the door to make sure no one was listening to them. "Mac would never do something like that for revenge!"

"Of course not," Flack agreed. "I tried to tell Malone that, but he only told me off because I'm friends with Mac. He thinks that Mac had a motive. So far there is no murder weapon or anything that could prove this theory wrong, so all we have is our belief that Mac wouldn't kill anyone and Mac's own words."

Danny groaned in frustration. "Wonderful. So that's actually nothing. I hope we'll be able to find out more. We need to prove he's innocent, Don."

"I know," Flack answered. "And I really hope we will."

Danny nodded. Sighing deeply, he sat down. At the moment they couldn't do much more but waiting for Lindsay and Stella to arrive. They had to find a way to prove Mac was innocent. But at the moment after all what Flack had told him, Mac's current situation looked very complicated.

--------

For a while now, Mac was sitting in the small interrogation room of the police station. After he had been in prison before right after being arrested at the café, he was now once again being interrogated by Officer Malone.

Mac had been in a couple of difficult situations before. Now sitting in this small, dark room without any windows, only with a naked light bulb hanging from the ceiling. It was cold in the room. Uncomfortably shifting on the hard, metal chair at the plain metal table, Mac glanced at the Officer in front of him.

He knew he was in trouble. The man was showing it with every bit of his body language. Arms crossed in front of his chest, the young man was leaning back in his chair, watching him with a stern expression in his eyes. There was a cold in those eyes that even frightened him, even though it was hard to get him feel like that.

Mac knew he hadn't done anything wrong. He knew all he had done was walking into the café where he had found Frankie Mala. There had been nothing wrong, nothing he could regret now, nothing he had to hide.

But Officer Malone didn't know that, and obviously he also didn't care. Mac knew the man had his opinion about him already, and he would try his best to find evidence that could prove said opinion to be true.

"So you met Mr Mala that early in a café that wasn't supposed to be open already because this was part of an undercover job to prove that this man stole the plans of Miss Stella Bonasera?" the officer asked all of the sudden.

Mac sighed. "Like I said a couple of times before."

Malone nodded. "And is it also right that said Miss Bonasera is your girlfriend, Mr Taylor?"

"Yes, she is," Mac answered. He knew this answer would cause problems, but a lie would even more.

"Really?" Malone nodded once again. "Then...well, maybe you really planned this undercover job with your friends. But who knows...maybe you wanted more? Maybe you wanted more than just getting the plans back and getting Mr Mala arrested? Maybe you wanted to get revenge for the fact he had stolen them in the first place? He has robbed your girlfriend, Mr Taylor. I'm sure that got you angry. And who knows, maybe you were so angry that you decided prison wouldn't be enough of a punishment for him. What do you say about that, Mr Taylor?"

But Mac didn't answer. He knew no matter what he would say, it wouldn't help him. More than once he had answered exactly this question. Still the officer had repeated it over and over again. He needed help, so much was for sure. He couldn't convince Officer Malone, no matter what he would say.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay talk to Mac and Stella. What will all the friends do next?**


	36. A Complicated Situation

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! Also huge thanks for reading! I'm happy you're still reading this story! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, rocksmacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554, lily moonlight, sucker-4-SMacked and saturn567!**

**Chapter 36: A Complicated Situation**

With her heart pounding hard in her chest, Lindsay was running through the streets on her way to Stella's apartment building. She felt like she couldn't get fast enough to her friend to share those news that weren't anything like good news at all. People were giving her confused looks; a young woman wasn't supposed to run around in the streets, that was no appropriate behaviour. But thanks to Danny she had stopped on acting like she had to follow every single rule that society was dictating her. She needed to get to her friend, as fast as she even could, and as long as she owned no car yet, which surely wouldn't be much faster than her, she had to run.

Mac had been arrested. And was suspected to be a murderer. Just like Danny, Lindsay couldn't believe someone was even actually thinking about Mac like that. If someone was incapable of doing something against the law, it was him. He was a good person, and even though Frankie robbed Stella, he would have ever even thought about killing this man. Never. Instead they had created a good plan to get the plans back and to arrest the robber. But obviously someone had been faster and obviously this person hadn't just killed Frankie but also caused real problems for Mac.

Lindsay didn't dare to imagine how she would react if she had gotten into Mac's situation, or how she would react if Danny was suspected to have done something like that. Currently she was frightened; knowing that Mac was innocent but unsure on how to prove it. But she also knew that together they would find a way to get their friend out of prison again.

Breathing heavily, she made her way up all those stairs that led to Stella's apartment. Unladylike, she pounded against her friend's front door, hoping dearly that she was at home but also that she would allow her to take care of her instead of rushing to the police station in anger all by herself.

"I'm coming," she heard Stella's voice, muffled by the thick wooden entrance door. A moment later, the door was opened, and Stella, already fully dressed, appeared. Immediately her eyes revealed she had to be worried, and she seemed to be nervous as well. When she noticed Lindsay standing in front of her, she smiled lightly though. "Good morning, Lindsay. I didn't expect you to visit me that early. I was thinking that Mac..." Then she saw the expression in her friend's eyes and she turned serious. "What happened?"

Lindsay needed to take a deep breath to calm herself down from the exhaustion of running through half of the city but also from the nervousness that was constantly increasing deep inside her. She was shivering lightly and she needed a moment before she could actually speak.

"Stella, please promise you won't just run past me, alright?" she asked first. "I need you to listen to me and then I want you to go together with me. Will you promise me that?" She knew her words already revealed something had happened, but she needed to make sure her friend wouldn't do anything that could get her into trouble as well.

"I promise," Stella answered, her voice already showing the rising fear inside it. "But please, would you tell me what happened now? What's wrong? Is something with Mac? Come on, please tell me what it is!"

Still shivering, Lindsay nodded. "Yes, it's because of Mac. He met Frankie like he was supposed to. But obviously the man was found killed and now they arrested Mac and accuse him of being a murderer."

"What?" Stella exclaimed. She stared at Lindsay in disbelief, causing her friend's nervousness to increase even more. "Please tell me that's not true!"

"Unfortunately it is," Lindsay answered, her voice getting quieter. She hated such situations. Not only was she feared that Mac was in bigger trouble than she was imagining at the moment, also she didn't want her friend to suffer. Apart from that she still had a difficult time with dealing with angry people.

"But Mac...would never kill someone, never! Someone else must have done that," Stella replied, her voice shaking with anger.

"I know that, we all do," Lindsay told her. "But still they arrested him. That's why I came here. Danny already went to the police station to see Flack, and I said I'd pick you up." She paused for a brief moment. "But I need you to go there with me together. Stella, I know how shocked and angry you are. So am I. But if we lose it now, we won't help him in any way."

Stella stared back at her for a moment. Lindsay hoped her friend was believing her. Of course she would have understood if all Stella had done would have been running to the police station and yelling to get Mac out of prison. She would have done exactly the same if she had been in said situation. Also she knew that this anger wouldn't get them anywhere. They needed to stay rational, as good as even possible, to find a logic solution for this problem.

"Alright," Stella said then, much to Lindsay's relief. "Let's get to the police station together, and see what we can do."

Lindsay nodded, gently linking her arm with the one of her friend. "We'll find a way to get him out of prison."

Stella nodded, releasing a light sigh. "I know we will. I hope so."

---------

Sitting in the small, dark and cold room, Mac couldn't tell how long he was at the police station already. He could be there for minutes or for hours; he couldn't tell for sure. All he knew was the fact that he was in shock, unsure on how he even got into this situation. He could understand what made the officer believe that he was guilty. But what frightened him was the fact that he didn't know if he would be able to prove his innocence. Innocent in prison; the nightmare of every person, and he was just experiencing it.

When the door was opened, Mac immediately sat up straight again. He released a sigh of relief when this time it wasn't the officer who entered the room but Danny. Instantly he noticed the concern in his friend's eyes when he made his way over to the table quickly and sat down before the officer at the door even got the chance to close it.

"Mac," he said, without wasting a single moment with talking around the real reason for his visit. "What the hell is going on here?"

Mac shook his head and sighed. "If I knew I'd tell you. I have no idea what's happening here. I didn't kill this man."

"I know you didn't. We all know that," Danny replied. "I know that guy believes that, but we're here to prove the opposite. For that I need to know what happened though. What happened when you got to the café?"

"I've arrived there a bit earlier, but not too early to not make him suspicious," Mac started to tell the story he had been repeating a couple of times already. "I've come into the café and there I found him. He was lying next to a table, covered in blood, and some plans I found there as well. I called the police and asked for help. I waited until they arrived. Then Officer Malone asked me what happened and I told him most of the story. But he didn't believe me and he arrested me. Now that he knows that we were there so I could get Stella's plans back and that I'm together with her, he believes that this is the motive for a murder. Because I wanted to take revenge."

"But you told him we all planned it together and that we all agreed on that plan?" Danny wanted to know.

Mac nodded. "Yes, I did. And he answered that this is no excuse. I could have just agreed to this plan, but then created my own one. He believes that I went into the café and waited there for Mr Mala until he arrived. I got him to show me the plans and then I shot him for robbing Stella."

"Oh no." Groaning in frustration, Danny let himself fall against the back of the chair, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's just stupid. Everyone who knows you knows that you wouldn't kill a man. Then again this police officer will tell us that our friendship is the reason why we're saying that."

"Yes." Mac sighed deeply. "There's no murder weapon obviously which they could take finger prints of. There aren't any witnesses. It's just me and what I had to say, and you who can agree that we planned the undercover job together, but they possibly won't believe anyone of you."

"Still they won't keep you in here for too long, Mac, don't worry," Danny told him. "I know the situation seems difficult right now and it might not be easy, but you know we're at your side and we won't let them lock you up even though you're innocent. There has to be evidence for the fact that it wasn't you. And after all I don't believe this Frankie shot himself. There is a killer out there and we'll find him. Or her. We just need to find that person."

"Thank you," Mac replied, despite his constant feelings able to offer a light smile. He was grateful for the strong support he received from his friends. He knew finding the person who really killed Frankie Mala wouldn't be that easy without any evidence. If someone could make it happen though, this would be his friends. "Does Stella know already?"

Danny shrugged. "Lindsay said she wanted to head to her place and tell her what happened. But I don't think they arrived here already, or Stella would have rushed into this room already."

This time Mac couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Yes, possibly she would have done that already. I'm glad to know you're at my side, you and the others."

Danny smiled back at him. "Of course we are. And we'll find out what really happened in this café."

Mac nodded. "I hope you will."

---------

Heading out of the interrogation room again, Danny released a deep sigh. Listening to Mac once again had made him realise in what a complicated situation his friend was. He knew that without any evidence it would be almost impossible for them to catch the real murderer of Frankie Mala. He was determined though. Mac was innocent, and neither of them would allow that he was sent to prison without actually having done anything.

Stepping into the large hallway of the police station, and all too familiar voice caught his attention. He couldn't tell for sure where Stella was, but he could hear her. He could hear how she was yelling at one of the police officers, asking them how it was possible Mac had been arrested for doing nothing and that she wanted to see him immediately. Despite the serious situation, a soft smile lit his face. They would find a way to get Mac out of prison again, even if this meant that Stella was going to rip the entire police station down to get to him.

"Hey." It was another voice that caused him to snap out of his thoughts again. Turning towards the entrance door of the police station, Danny found Lindsay standing there, giving him a light smile. She walked over to him, immediately linking her arm with his. The soft body contact was enough for him to reveal how much she was affected by the situation, how badly she wanted to find a way to help Mac.

"I see you brought Stella here," he answered, despite the public place giving her a quick kiss.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. I tried to keep her as calm as possible, but when we arrived here, I couldn't stop her from running in there." She blushed lightly. "I also didn't want to stop her. I know I would react the same way if they arrested you for doing nothing, especially when you wanted to help me. She's so angry, and I would be feeling the same way. Actually I am already."

Smiling at her words, Danny nodded as well. He could imagine her reacting exactly like Stella; he wouldn't do it any different himself. "I'm angry as well. They said things about him that are not true in any way. Mac is innocent, I know that. We all know that."

"Do you think there is a chance we can help him?" she asked.

Danny sighed. "I hope so. I was just on my way to our offices anyways. If you want you can join me. I'm hoping that maybe over there I can clear my mind and find a way to do something despite the fact we don't have any evidence for our help. Also I wanted to have a look at the list of telephone numbers Mac owns. Maybe we can ask someone to help us. Maybe even this journalist who found out all those information about my family."

"That sounds like a very good idea to me," Lindsay agreed. Tightening her grip around his arm, she added, "Let's head to your office. I'm sure we'll find something when we get there."

Nodding, Danny exchanged another smile with Lindsay. A grateful smile. When he had heard that Mac had been arrested, he hadn't been able to believe it. Listening to what the officers seemed to believe, he wondered what they could do to prove his boss's innocence. But all of them were determined to find a way, and they would. They would find the right answers for all those questions. Together.

**Preview: Stella goes to see Mac. Danny and Lindsay try to find evidence.**


	37. Love Is What We Need

**Author's note: Thank you so much for all those sweet reviews and for reading! Do you know how happy you make me with them, and with reading this story? When I started the oneshot series, I didn't expect that after that I'd write such a long story. I really hope you'll continue reading and reviewing! Because there are a lot of storylines awaiting you. I also want to thank afrozenheart412 for suggesting this current storyline. And I want to thank lily moonlight and Hannah554 for making suggestions as well! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, rocksmacked, Hannah554, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567, lily moonlight and Desiree1989!**

**Chapter 37: Love Is What We Need**

Walking up and down in front of the door of the interrogation room, Stella once again felt anger rising inside her. Anger that made her wish to simply go and hurt one of those officers who prevented her from finally getting to talk to Mac.

Mac, who had been arrested, because he was suspected to be the murderer of Frankie Mala. The moment she had heard those news, she had felt like it was a bad joke. A bad joke that wasn't funny in any way. She couldn't believe a person could really suspect that Mac would have killed someone. Mac. In her eyes he was the last person she could see to kill someone.

But what hurt Stella just as much was the fact that this officer, Officer Malone, was using her as the motive. Because according to this man, Mac had changed his former plan and had killed Frankie to get revenge for the fact the man had stolen her plans. His girlfriend's plans.

Stella knew that no matter how angry Mac had been, he would have just tried to get her plans back. He would have never killed Frankie for that. But so far this seemed to be what was believed and she was wondering how they could prove the opposite when there were no hints or evidence, not even the murder weapon.

Shaking her head, Stella sighed deeply. Stopping across the door, she rested back against the cold, dirty wall, closing her eyes. If she had just acted the moment she had realised something was wrong with Frankie. If she had just prevented Mac from doing this undercover job. Deep inside, Stella knew she wasn't to blame for anything that had happened. And she knew somewhere out there had to be the real murderer. But still it was hurting deep inside, and all she wanted was him to be released from prison again.

Stella's eyes flew open again when the door across of her was opened. Barely the police officer had stepped outside and away from the doorway when she had already rushed forward. Almost pushing the man aside, she entered the interrogation room, slamming the door shut before she headed over to the table. Before Mac could react, she wrapped her arms around the sitting man, embracing him tightly. For moments she held him like that, before she pulled back again.

"Finally they let me see you. I was yelling at them to let me see you, but you can't imagine how stubborn those officers are," she said, trying to fight back her rising tears with a light smile. Barely wanting to let go of Mac, she got up again to sit down across of him before any of the officers could join them and force her to leave again because she was getting too close to their suspect.

A soft smile lit Mac's face at her words. "I have to admit I could hear you, Stella."

Blushing lightly, Stella sighed. "They wouldn't let me in here! I had to see you though." Reaching across the table, she rested her hands on top of his, gently squeezing them to emphasize her support. "Mac, we all know you're innocent. We'll get you out of this prison, as soon as possible."

Mac nodded. His expression showed her though that he wasn't as determined and convinced as she was. "I know that you and the others will try your best," he said.

Stella raised her eyebrows lightly at his words. "Why do I have the feeling that you don't believe in us getting you free again?"

"Because it's not as easy as we wish," Mac answered with yet another sigh. "I know you believe me, but important is that those officers believe me as well. They have their opinion though and until we can't prove anything different, they will stick to those believes."

"But you're innocent, Mac!" Stella exclaimed.

"I am, yes, but it's those officers who need to believe that as well." Sighing once again, Mac shook his head. "It is what I always hoped to never face. I've always been afraid to get after someone who's innocent and who has to prove it but I won't believe them. Now I'm in that situation even myself, and it's the last I want anyone to go through. You're not lying, but still you feel like it."

"You might feel like that, but we all know the truth," Stella replied. Trying to fight back her own, almost overwhelming emotions, she squeezed Mac's hands. "We will find the real murderer, and he will pay for what he has done. No one will leave you in prison while you're innocent. We won't give up until we proved that."

Despite his feelings, Mac smiled lightly. "I know you will. I know." But deep inside, he knew that currently chances for him to being released from prison again weren't the best. All he could do was hoping that his friends indeed would find a way to prove his innocence, as soon as possible.

---------

With her hand tightly being held by his, Lindsay had been following Danny back to the office building. Thick clouds were covering the sky, there was nothing to feel of a warm summer day. The weather seemed to mirror everyone's mood; all of them still were in kind of a shock because of what had happened to Mac. Neatly they had planned his undercover job and what they wanted to do when they had gotten the information they needed. Or the plans. Instead everything had turned out completely different and now they had to fight to prove Mac's innocence.

In silence they entered the large building and headed up to the right floor. Clearly Lindsay could feel the tension that was steadily rising inside Danny. He was worried; no surprise. Danny knew Mac for a very long time now; much longer than he knew Flack. It had been Mac who had offered him his current job, who had given him a perspective, who had given him the chance to move into his first real apartment. Quickly there had built a strong respect and friendship between them.

Now it was Mac who needed help, and Danny wouldn't hesitate a second to prove that his boss and friend had done nothing wrong. So much she wished she could do more, but all Lindsay could do was following him, hoping she could help him in any way while trying to find answers for so many questions.

"Mac being a murderer," Danny hissed while he opened the door to his boss's office. "As if! No one would ever believe he would do something like that. But he won't stay in there, so much I can tell you already."

Lindsay nodded. "Will you let me help you? Maybe together we can find more than if you look all by your own. I really want to help Mac, just like he helped us."

"Of course. You could have a look at his files with me," Danny suggested. "I hope we'll find something. We have to. That would be easier than going after those guys."

"Yes," Lindsay agreed. Wincing lightly at his plan to go after whatever men, she added, "But you'll be careful, won't you? You won't do anything that could get you into danger?"

"I don't think that's something we have to discuss now," Danny replied, already looking through a file he had just picked up.

"Sure, but I just want to make sure that you don't get into trouble as well," she said carefully. She could feel his anger rising and she didn't want to provoke him. The groan he released made her tense lightly.

"Listen, this is my job," he told her angrily. "I could have just done this undercover job myself, then now it wouldn't be Mac in prison. I don't care whether I get into trouble or not, I won't just leave him in there! You should know me good enough to know that I won't just hope for them to believe him one day."

Lindsay, who had just taken a glass that had been standing on Mac's desk, winced at his words, causing her to drop the glass. It shattered in thousands of pieces, making her jump at the sound.

"I'm sorry," she stammered, immediately feeling herself shiver lightly when he turned around to her. "I'll...immediately take care of that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop it."

With shaking hands, she knelt down next to the broken glass, trying to take the shattered pieces into her hand. Danny, whose attention had been caught by the sound of her voice already, noticed Lindsay's obvious nervousness. Immediately cursing himself, he walked over to her, seeing how she pulled away the moment he knelt down as well.

"I'm sorry," he said, gently taking her hands to make her stop, feeling they were still shaking roughly. Lindsay looked up at him in surprise at the unexpected apologize.

"Why?" she asked.

"I shouldn't have snapped at you," Danny answered, carefully making her drop the pieces of glass she was holding already before she could cut herself with them. "I shouldn't yell at you, or act like that. I know how it makes you feel, and I hate it that I did that to you."

"You also shouldn't walk on egg shells around me only because this man beat me up once. It's not your fault," she answered quietly.

Danny shook his head. "No, it's not my fault, that's true. But if I can, I shouldn't be hurting you with yelling or snapping. It's no need to do that. It's not your fault Mac is in prison and I know you want to help him as much as I want to. I know how much you like him. You're the last person I should have snapped at."

"I can understand you got mad though. I'm mad myself," Lindsay told him.

"Yes, but you also don't snap at me. So I'm sorry because I did that. It won't happen again," he promised.

Smiling at him lightly, Lindsay nodded. Glancing down at the glass, she remained in her position with her hands resting in his. Still he could feel they were shaking, which caused a strong lump to form in his throat again. Danny could understand her reactions towards his reaction. It was an instinct she didn't even know about. Back then while she had been together with Katums, there had been many moments in which she had been scared, in which after every yelling a hit had followed. It was something she had learnt, and to every yelling she reacted with fear. No matter who was yelling at her. Even when it was him.

"I hope you know I won't ever hurt you," he told her after a couple of moments of silence. "I would never hurt you in any way. I know I have a high temper and my voice gets too loud a bit sometimes. I promise I'll try to not yell at you again, or snap at you. But I want you to know that for the case we might disagree or argue, that never means I think I have the right to hurt you in any way. I know I need to stay calmer, but I won't ever do anything that might hurt you. I'm not like this guy. I know I don't have this right. No one does. You don't have to worry. It's normal that couples disagree and argue sometimes. It doesn't mean anything bad."

Again she nodded. This time though, Lindsay looked up at Danny again and to his relief he noticed her smiling lightly. "I know that. I know you're not like that. I think one day I won't act like something bad happened every time we have a discussion."

Nodding at her words, Danny smiled as well. "Good. So now that we clarified that, let's continue. We need to find something that helps us to prove Mac's innocence."

"Yes." Taking the hand Danny offered, Lindsay allowed him to help her get up. "But...could you maybe take care that you won't get into trouble as well anyways? I know you want to do everything that's possible for Mac. I want that myself. But still...take care, alright?"

With his smile widening lightly, Danny placed a soft kiss onto Lindsay's cheek. "Alright. We'll help him together, so you know what I'll do and I won't do anything that gets me into trouble."

Nodding relieved, her smile mirrored his when she kissed him as well. "Thank you."

With that, Danny and Lindsay turned their attention back to the files. They knew they worked together very well and that they could rely on each other. Together they would find a way to help their friend.

**Preview: The friends get information that might help them.**


	38. The First Helpful Information

**Author's note: Wow. Just wow. I'm impressed by how many of you are still reviewing! Thank you so much for that! I'm so incredibly happy you like this story! Also of course thanks to everyone for reading! And once again big thanks to lily moonlight, afrozenheart412 and Hannah554 for suggestions and for having a look at the chapters already! Here is a new update already. Special thanks to rocksmacked, Hannah554, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Rosa Atrus, lily moonlight, Desiree1989, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567 and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 38: The First Helpful Information**

For minutes now, Jessica was watching Flack, who was pacing up and down in front of the window in his office. Barely any light was finding its way inside through the half covered glass; fitting the tension in the room she had to admit. Still she wasn't over the shock about what she had witnessed the day before when she had seen Frankie Mala at the café where he had shown the plans he had stolen earlier.

Had she hoped that quickly they would get Stella's plans back when they all had met to create a plan for how to continue, she now was sitting in a chair in Flack's office, shocked by the fact Mac had been arrested for murdering Frankie Mala, who had been found killed at their café where the two men had been supposed to meet.

Jessica had no doubt that Mac hadn't done anything wrong. From how she knew this man, she was convinced he was the last person who would kill another one, no matter how angry he was. He would have simply tried to get the plans back and would have arrested Frankie then. Never he would have even thought about taking revenge by killing this man. She wasn't sure on how easy or difficult it would be to prove Mac's innocence. But they would try everything possible.

"Don," she said then, softly and quietly to not startle the man who seemed to be deep in his thoughts. When he looked at her, finally stopping his pacing, she continued, "I can understand how worried you are. So am I. But I don't think this will lead to anything."

Flack stared back at her in silence for a moment before he sighed deeply, walking over to where she was sitting to lean against the edge of the desk next to her. Instinctively he rested one hand on her shoulder, which she rested hers on, squeezing it lightly.

"I know," he told her with yet another sigh. "But currently I don't know what we could do to get him out of this situation again. We don't have any evidence that he didn't do it."

"But they also don't have any evidence that he did," Jessica replied. "You said that they don't have a murder weapon, that they don't have anything that proves Mac killed this man."

"I know, but he was the first one who found Frankie," Flack answered. "And they believe he had a motive because Stella is his girlfriend and because he could have taken revenge. They have a story they keep on telling every time one of us tries to convince them that they're wrong and that Mac didn't do anything."

Jessica nodded. Clearly she could feel Flack's concern, could feel his hand tighten on her shoulder, searching for support, for comfort. His explanations were reasonable to her. She could understand what the problem was. They were Mac's friends, of course they would try everything to protect them. The police officers had a story which they believed was the motive their suspect could have for killing Frankie Mala. It would be difficult to prove they were the wrong ones.

"But maybe..." she started but her voice trailed off again at a noise coming from the room next door to Flack's. It was a voice talking, and it had caught Flack's attention as well.

"Is that Officer Malone talking?" she asked quietly.

Flack nodded silently. He walked over to his office door and opened it carefully. Jessica joined him at the small slit that allowed them to clearly hear what the man, who was obviously at the phone, was talking about.

"I know, I know," Malone just barked into his phone. "What do you think I'm doing here? I know how to do my job...yes, I do. What?... No, no, no, I won't be that stupid. ... I know how important it is they won't find anything that can prove their theory, you don't have to tell me that over and over again! ... No, of course not, I took care of it ... Yes, also of the documents, don't worry. ... No, my theory why no one else but Mr. Taylor has to be the murder won't be proven wrong that easily without any murder weapon or any other evidence. I told you I took care of that. You really don't have to worry. There is no possibility for his friends to come up with anything that can get Mr. Taylor out of prison again. He will be charged. ... Yes, I told you I know how to do my job, didn't I? ... Thank you. Yes, I will call you soon, will try to get him behind bars as quickly as possible."

The metallic sound of the speaker being dropped onto the phone again revealed the phone call ended. Quickly Flack closed the door of his office again. He and Jessica exchanged a look, both with an expression that revealed their confusion. And the fact that they had a suspicion. While Jessica sat down in her chair again, Flack headed over to his own telephone. He needed to make a call as well.

--------

For a while now, Danny and Lindsay were at Mac's office, searching through the various closets and his desk, reading files that could possibly give them answers or any hints that could help them. In silence they were working, too busy with finding the information they needed. So far they didn't know what they were actually looking for. More by an instinct they had been led to this office.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Lindsay wanted to know then, dropping yet another file back on a stack of others.

Shortly, Danny glanced up from the file he was just reading. "Did you notice how determined this officer was that Mac has to be a murderer?" he asked. When she nodded, he added, "I can't help the feeling that this man knows Mac from somewhere, or has an interest in him being locked in prison. My hopes are that we find anything that tells us that this officer has a reason to believe in his theory so much."

"Maybe he's also just wanting to close the case so quickly," Lindsay suggested.

Danny nodded, sighing lightly. "That could be another explanation."

"But yours would be better for us maybe," Lindsay replied, grabbing another file. She just wanted to open it when all of the sudden, a sharp, loud ringing sound stopped her in her movement. Almost dropping her file at the unexpected sound, she looked up at Danny, who looked just as surprised. Reaching out to the near telephone, he answered it, surprised about the person at the other end of the phone.

"Don?" he asked in confusion. "I didn't expect you to call, did something happen at the police station?"

Lindsay, who was standing across of Danny at the other side of Mac's desk, closely watched her boyfriend talking. His expression usually told her a lot about what he was thinking and feeling and the way it kept changing now, she was getting curious what this phone call was about. Flack had called, obviously still from the police station. She wondered why and even more what exactly he had to tell.

Nervousness once again started to rise inside her. The situation was so complicated, everyone was so worried. She could only imagine how Mac himself was feeling. He was sitting in this small, dark room, hoping that his friends would find a way to help him and prevent him from being send to prison. There was nothing to prove his innocence and it seemed like everyone but them was convinced by the fact that Mac would have never murdered someone.

Of course Lindsay was convinced there would be many other persons they could ask and who would say exactly that about Mac as well. But then this officer would only reply what he had told them as well; possibly Mac had hidden his wish to take revenge for what had happened to Stella, without letting them know. Possibly neither of them had expected how he would react in such a situation, so he could have just surprised them.

Those arguments wouldn't convince Lindsay or anyone else in any way. But making a judge believe them wouldn't be easy anyways, especially when they only kept on repeating that they firmly believed in Mac.

"Alright, Don, I'll have a look for it and then we'll come back." With this sentence, Danny hung up again, turning his attention back to Lindsay, who was waiting for him to explain what Flack had to tell.

"Did something happen?" she wanted to know.

Danny nodded. "Oh yes, something happened indeed," he told her and for a moment he seemed to be almost excited. "That was Don. He said he and Jessica managed to overhear a phone call Officer Malone made."

"A phone call?" Lindsay looked at him in surprise. "What was the phone call about?"

"They couldn't make out who he was talking to," Danny explained. "But obviously my theory that Officer Malone has a reason for his strong belief in Mac being guilty really wasn't that wrong."

"Oh?" Lindsay raised her eyebrows in curiosity. "Do you mean that he has an interest in Mac being in prison?"

Once again Danny nodded. "Don said that it sounded like Officer Malone was talking to a boss or someone in a higher position. A couple of times he said he took care of whatever he had to do, also of some kind of documents. And that we wouldn't have any chances against Mac's motive."

"So that means...maybe Officer Malone and this other person are involved?" she asked, her eyes widening at just the imagination.

"That could be true," Danny agreed. "Don asked me to look for anything that could hint towards anything like that. We need to look if Mac has been investigating against someone in a high position who would have the power to pay an officer for a job like that."

Lindsay nodded. She hesitated for a moment. There was another suspicion she had. "Do you...also think that maybe a police officer in a higher position could be responsible here?" she asked carefully.

"That is another very interesting idea," Danny told her, giving her a tiny smile. "And a possible one indeed. Who knows, maybe Officer Malone and his friends are even responsible for what happened to Mr. Mala?"

"If we manage to prove something like that...that would really help Mac," Lindsay said, feeling new encouragement rising inside her.

"Exactly," Danny answered. "Which is why we need to hurry and find anything that can prove our theory is right."

Knowing what they were looking for now, Danny and Lindsay could work a lot faster. Quickly they read through one file after the other. This time their investigations didn't take them long.

"I think I got something," Lindsay exclaimed after a couple of minutes, so excited her voice echoed through the quiet room. "From what I found in this file here, Mac has been investigating against a couple of really high positioned police officers."

"That is fantastic, what else does it say?" Danny asked, quickly making his way over to her.

"It says he's been investigating against a certain Stanley Gerrard," she read. "Obviously the officer was corrupt. Mac seemed to have gotten hints that Officer Gerrard got paid by various people to prevent guilty suspects from being charged for their crimes." She looked up at Danny, finding sparks of excitement in his eyes at what she had just said. "This could possibly explain it, right?"

Danny nodded. "Absolutely." He took the file from her. "If this officer really got paid to release guilty criminals from prison, he would be in serious trouble if Mac managed to prove that. Possibly he hired Malone to do whatever he did to get Mac out of the way." A light grin lit his face. "But obviously his helper wasn't careful enough. Let's head back, we need to show that to the others."

Nodding in agreement, Lindsay followed Danny out of the office. They had the hints they had been looking for, and were getting closer and closer to the answers for their questions.

--------

When Danny and Lindsay arrived at the police station again, they were already awaited by Flack, Jessica and Stella, who had joined them as well. All of them greeted them with a mix of curiosity and concern. Stella still had an angry expression, mixed with pure worry about the conversation she had had with Mac. The couple exchanged a short look. They could only imagine how their friends would react to those news.

"Did you find anything?" Flack immediately asked, getting up from his desk chair.

Danny nodded. "Thanks to the skills of my girlfriend here, we found a file in which we possibly found the answers we were looking for," he said, handing said file over to Flack.

"What does that mean?" Stella asked, jumping up from her sitting position as well. "Jessica told me about the phone call. Do you have any evidence that proves Mac is innocent."

Lindsay shook her head. "Not yet. But we found out Mac has been investigating against a police officer who possibly is corrupt."

"Exactly," Danny said. "Which would explain why he could be interested in Mac being send to prison. This way he wouldn't get the chance to prove what the corrupt officer has done."

"So do you think maybe he hired Officer Malone then?" Jessica wanted to know.

"That could be highly possible," Flack, who had just finished his quick read of the file, answered. Looking up again, he gave Danny and Lindsay a light smile. "Looks like we can work towards a certain direction now."

The others nodded. Once again Danny and Lindsay exchanged a glance, both of them mirroring the light smiles of their friends. They had found evidence that could explain why Officer Malone was so willing to prove Mac was guilty. Together they had found out about those information. Now they needed to follow those hints and they would be able to help their friend. And prove that their theory was indeed right.

**Preview: Mac learns about the news. Danny, Lindsay and Flack decide to ask Adam to get them more information.**


	39. New Ideas

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for the sweet reviews! Also thanks for reviewing! And thanks to Hannah554 for reading the chapters already and to her, lily moonlight and afrozenheart412 for ideas! I know I updated the fic a few days ago but it's my birthday and so I wanted to update the fic I love to write the most. Special thanks to SMacked Hard, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP and Hannah554!**

**Chapter 39: New Ideas**

Shaking his head, Mac leant back in the hard, metallic chair he was sitting on. Still he was in that interrogation room; small, dark, perfect to break every suspect and get a confession. Mac had nothing to confess though. But still he felt the room affecting him, making him nervous. He was innocent, but felt like he was guilty, due to everything people had told him and believed about him.

Mac knew that he needed his friends' help, that he needed them to find anything that could prove his story, that he hadn't done anything wrong. So badly he wished he could help them with that. Not that he didn't trust in them and believed in their abilities, especially when it came to Danny, the private investigator, Flack, the police man and Lindsay, the soon to be journalist. Combined with Jessica's observance and Stella's determination he could be sure they would be a good help. But still his nervousness was increasing steadily.

Once again his head snapped up when he heard the familiar sound of a key being stuck and turned around in the keyhole. Sitting up straight, he prepared himself for yet another interrogation by Officer Malone, who was so determined to get him behind bars. Mac got the feeling that possible the officer even knew he was innocent, but anyways wanted him to be send to prison. So far he had no idea why the officer should do that. But he also couldn't prove his idea.

Taking a deep breath, he prepared for the man to yell at him once again, forcing him to confess a crime he hadn't committed. The more surprised and relieved he was when it was Danny who entered the room. Barely the officer had managed to close the door again, when he had already rushed over and sat down across of him.

"Hello Danny," Mac greeted, offering his friend a relieved smile. "I was already expecting Malone to show up here again."

"Because of Malone I'm here," Danny answered. His expression was serious, but Mac knew him good and long enough to see the slight sparks in his eyes.

"Did something happen?" he wanted to know.

Danny nodded. "Lindsay and I have been at your office. Meanwhile Flack was here. He and Jessica overheard a phone call that Malone made and so they got suspicious. Flack called me and asked me to look through your files and there is something interesting I found, Mac. Is it true that you have been working on a corrupt officer?"

"Yes," Mac nodded slowly. "Officer Gerrard. I got information that he was getting paid for releasing criminals from prison. It was an anonymous source, so I can't tell you who gave me those information. But it seems to be true, because I found various cases in which Officer Gerrard was responsible for the criminals and all of them somehow got free again, even though the evidence seemed to be leading in a completely different direction."

Danny smiled satisfied. "That's what Lindsay and I found out as well," he explained. "We found said files you have been working on. Which fits to what they overheard. Mac, I think we got the reasons why this man wants you in prison so badly."

"Do you think he's interested in keeping me away from Gerrard?" Mac asked, immediately understanding what Danny wanted to tell him.

"Absolutely," he answered. "From what they could hear, Malone was talking to whoever he was doing something for. To us, it sounded like this man arranged something that makes it look like you killed Frankie Mala. They know you didn't do it, Mac. He said we won't have a chance against his motive. Of course we can't say that for sure, but who knows, maybe this man and this other officer are more involved than we know."

Once again Mac nodded. He could feel his nervousness changing into excitement. "Do you think they could be responsible for what happened to Mr Mala? But how should they have known that I wanted to meet this man? And that he stole Stella's plans?"

"Malone also mentioned some documents he took care of," Danny replied. "I can't tell you for sure what they have done and which connection they have to Mala. But I think they have a motive to want you behind bars. Because Officer Gerrard wants to prevent you from proving that he is corrupt. And obviously Malone is as well."

Glancing back at Danny, Mac needed a few moments to think about what he had just learnt. Obviously his theory had been right; Officer Malone had a special reason why he wanted him to be sent to prison. For a while now, he was working on the case of the corrupt police officer. He knew; if he got to prove that Officer Gerrard was getting paid for releasing guilty criminals, this would end the man's career. The easiest way to solve this problem was either getting rid of Mac or making sure he would be locked away for a long time. Which would also ruin his career as a private investigator so he wouldn't get a chance to prove Gerrard's guilt.

It all started to make sense now, and for the first time since he got arrested, Mac could feel a light relief rising inside him. He had known that his friends would find a way to help him.

"Is there anything else I could do to help you?" he wanted to know.

Danny shook his head. "No, don't worry. We'll find out what Malone is really doing and how much he and Gerrard are involved in the murder of Mala. We'll take care of that, Mac. We won't let them send you to prison."

Once again a light smile lit Mac's face at those words. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "And I'm proud of you. I have to admit I was getting desperate, not knowing how to get out of this situation. But my skilled private investigator and his friends would find a solution. I can't tell you how glad that makes me."

Danny smiled back at him. "You know, we're all there for each other."

Mac nodded in agreement. There had been times when he had felt really lonely in this giant city, even though he was surrounded by so many people. Now his situation had changed. He had persons who would do everything for him, and it was an experience for him that was wonderful, even in moments like that.

---------

When Danny left the police station and stepped out onto the small forecourt in front of it, he was already awaited by Lindsay and Flack. Still he could see the two of them being concerned, just like him. But also just like him they were showing some hope as well. Hope because they were slowly understanding what was happening and how they could possibly step in to help Mac.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly when his eyes focused on his girlfriend. Always he had known that behind the hesitation she had shown sometimes due to the way she had to act during childhood and later as a young woman and especially during her relationship with Katums there was a strong will and a determined character. She was strong, she was incredibly smart. Many times Lindsay had told Danny that Stella was her role model for her. In his eyes the women were close to being equal when it came to the strength of their minds.

"Where are Jessica and Stella?" he wanted to know when he joined them.

"I told Jessica to stay in my office with Stella," Flack answered. "Even though she is much more optimistic now, the situation is affecting Stella a lot. First all her plans have been stolen and now she has to deal with Mac being in prison. I also think she rather wants to stay at the police station and make sure Malone doesn't try to interrogate Mac again."

Danny nodded in agreement. "Good," he said. "And I talked to Mac. Like we got to see in those files, he has been working on such a case." He threw a short glance around himself, making sure no one was close to them to overhear their conversation. In silence they walked away from the station into a near alley where they could be sure no one would listen. "I think we have our motive for those men wanting Mac to be in prison. He got information from an anonymous source. Officer Gerrard would get into serious trouble if it came out."

"Do you know anything about Officer Gerrard?" Lindsay asked Flack.

Flack shrugged lightly. "Not much. He's indeed in a pretty high position for an officer. He also has the wish to get promoted soon. Of course I can imagine that if he's guilty and I can imagine he is, he wouldn't get anywhere close to being promoted. His career would end immediately."

Lindsay nodded in agreement. "And if he is going so far to let people pay him for releasing people who are guilty, I don't have a doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to hire someone who can make sure that Mac wouldn't be able to prove what he has been doing." She paused for a moment. "Actually I also wouldn't be surprised if he went a lot further than that."

"What do you mean exactly?" Danny wanted to know.

"Imagine what a kind of character Officer Gerrard has to be when he is willing to release people who possibly murdered someone or did other brutal crimes just to be paid for that," she explained to the men. "If someone is like that, I wouldn't be surprised he would be willing to hide his own crimes in every possible way. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a well organised plan. I don't think he would hesitate a second to get a young artist to steal plans, knowing that the partner of the woman who they belong to would try everything to get them back. Then they only had to make sure said partner and Frankie Mala would meet and they just had to be faster than the partner. They would have the motive and they could make sure that no one ever finds out what really happened."

Danny and Flack exchanged a surprised look at Lindsay's story. "So you think that maybe Gerrard hired Frankie and arranged all that, also his murder?" Flack asked.

Lindsay shrugged, blushing lightly. "I know this sounds like a complicated story, but this man to me sounds like he would do everything to rescue himself. I don't think he would shy away from such a difficult and well organised plan," she answered.

"I think you're right with that," Danny answered, nodding impressed by her answers. "I didn't think about it like that, but it would explain a lot. I agree with you that a man like Officer Gerrard would be willing to do a lot."

"That is very true," Flack agreed, giving Lindsay an impressed smile as well. "Now we only need to find out how we get those information from them. I don't think either Malone or Gerrard would simply reveal what they have done."

Lindsay shook her head. She was blushing lightly due to the impressed reactions of both, Danny and Flack. "I think they won't tell us anything," she agreed. "But I know someone who is fantastic with getting whatever information he wants."

"And who is that?" Danny asked.

"I'm talking about the man who found out where your family is," Lindsay told him. "Adam Ross. He is often at my university, giving lectures. He is a famous journalist which is surely the reason why Mac hired him to find your family. If we explain this case to him, he surely won't hesitate to help us. He'll find out what we need to know. I'm sure he will." She blushed again at the look Danny was giving her, slightly raising his eyebrows. "I didn't manage to talk to him yet, apart from those lectures I was in. Afterwards he answered a couple of our questions, that is all."

Danny, immediately understanding what she was hinting to, gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about that, I know what you meant," he answered. "I think your idea is very good. Maybe we should right head over to Mr. Ross and ask him if he is willing to help us. What do you think, Don?"

Flack nodded. "It's the best idea we had today. Let's hope he's there so we can immediately talk to him."

Listening to Danny and Flack, Lindsay blushed even more, smiling at their words. She was glad they all had found out so many information that could help Mac and even happier she was that she possibly had found a way to prove their friend's innocence. She was sure that Adam Ross would get them the answers they needed.

**Preview: Adam talks to Malone and gets to hear the real story which Danny, Lindsay and Flack use to prove Mac's innocence.**


	40. The Truth

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Huge thanks to everyone for reading this fic! Special thanks to Rosa Atrus, Hannah554, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight, rocksmacked, sucker-4-SMacked and saturn567!**

**Another little information: Hannah554's and my fic 'The City Of Dreams' was updated again.**

**Chapter 40: The Truth**

Adam Ross was a journalist by heart. There was no other job he could see himself in. For him it was the greatest thing to do when he was allowed to find out something for someone, or could write articles about every different topic that came to his mind, depending on what was currently interesting him.

For the time he was working in this job now, he had made himself a name and newspapers like the New York Times itself were practically fighting for him to write for them. An Adam Ross article caught everyone's attention. Sometimes because of the topic. Sometimes because of the incredibly well research. Every time because of the very unique writing style the man had. A writing style that made each article easy to understand for everyone. And also fun to read.

But no matter how much every single newspaper in New York wanted him, Adam didn't want to be bond to any of them. He wanted to be independent and decide which job he would take and which he wouldn't. Well known enough he was for sure.

And so Adam got the time to also do lectures at the city's university, where he had met young and eager student Lindsay. The young woman had practically attacked him with questions about his job and immediately he had caught himself by thinking that she would be fantastic in her job after finishing studying. The determination and curiosity she needed she had.

But at the university hadn't been the only one he had gotten to see her. Only a bit later, private investigator Mac Taylor had asked him to help him to find the family of a young man who had immigrated to the United States as a child from Italy and since then hadn't seen them. For Adam this had been an interesting challenge, but due to his well known name, he soon had gotten into the right contacts and had indeed been able to find out that the family was still living in Italy and even had gotten an address. He had found out then that Danny, the man whose family he had found, was Lindsay's boyfriend.

And now, only a bit earlier, the young woman had met him again. This time Lindsay had come to him, together with Danny, the boyfriend, and a police officer who had introduced himself as Flack. They had asked him to do yet another job for them.

Now Adam was on his way to meet Officer Malone, whom he hadn't even had to convince to meet him. Hearing that the famous journalist was interested in talking to him had been enough. They were supposed to meet in the park on a bench, adding a little more mystery to the situation. Adam was supposed to find out certain information. He needed to make Malone say that not only he but also a certain Officer Gerrard were corrupt and had arranged the murder of Frankie Mala to get Mac Taylor in prison.

For Adam this was yet another incredibly exciting job, and even if he tried to deny it to himself, he also hoped to impress the young student with his success. So he was walking through Central Park now, prepared with a listening device. Those ways to get information were still rarely known and rarely used, at least not in ways like that. Telephone tabbing was done a lot already, but still not too many people would walk around with a so called bug. Adam thought had found his way to get to know about every possibly technology, and nothing would be better for such a job.

Sitting on the bench, he waited. Like always, the familiar nervousness and excitement were rising inside him; feelings he enjoyed, that added an extra tension to his job which never got boring. Luckily he didn't have to wait long. Soon enough he noticed a man, throwing stolen glances around himself as he walked over to the bench. Adam's skilled eyes immediately made him realise who this man was.

"Mr. Ross?" the man asked as he arrived, once again looking around himself.

"Yes, that'd be me," Adam answered friendly. "I'm sure, Mr. Malone, that no one has been following you, as much as no one has been following me."

Malone nodded, still insecurely. He sat down, needing yet another few moments until he finally turned his attention to Adam. Adam knew he was a nervous and often moving person himself, but that he was acting that extremely active he doubted.

"So you wanted to talk to me, Mr. Ross?" he asked.

Adam nodded. "Yes. I heard you're working on a pretty big case? I heard young fashion designer Frankie Mala has been killed by no one else but private investigator Mac Taylor?"

Like Adam had expected, the man's face was lighten up by a proud smile. "Yes, that is the case I'm working on. I'm leading currently."

Adam nodded. He gave Malone a light wink. "But...Mr. Malone, was it really Mac Taylor? Was it really him who killed the fashion designer?"

Malone blushed lightly at Adam's direct question. "Well, he was the one at the crime scene. And he has a clear motive. He wanted to meet Mr. Mala before the café would even open. He had an interest in seeing Mala being killed because the man stole the plans of his girlfriend, who also is a well known fashion designer in New York. The idea that he wanted to take revenge makes a lot sense to me."

Once again Adam nodded. He hadn't missed how the man hadn't hesitated a second to spill even the motive of a case that was nowhere being closed yet. Getting this man to say more wouldn't be difficult. Especially when he brought up the weapon that got every corrupt man or woman to sing.

"Listen, Mr. Malone," Adam told then, bending forward, whispering now. "I'm doing this job for a while now. Many people have tried to tell me what they want me to write, but never they've managed to hide the real information in front of me. I know you know more than you want to tell me. Mainly because you're afraid that the real person behind all that could find out you've spilled the information."

Malone looked at him in shock, his eyes widening as his face covered in a deep shade of red. "I don't know what you want to tell me with that, Mr. Ross..."

"How much did they pay you?" Adam interrupted. "Or didn't they pay you at all yet?"

"Mr. Ross, I really..." Malone made a new attempt, but once again he was interrupted.

"If I paid you any prize, would you share your information with me?" Adam asked him directly. "Of course I won't write about the real story. Together we'll set up what we'll write, but if I paid you for the real information, would you share them with me." With a wink, he added, "And you have my word, Mr. Malone. If I wrote about the true information, this would get me just as much in trouble, because then you'd be able to tell everyone I paid you for those information and I think you're aware of what that would do to my name and my career. I mean, who wants a journalist writing for you when everyone knows he's been paying people to get his stories?"

Closely, Adam watched Malone. He could see the thoughts running through the man's mind. A man who let Officer Gerrard pay him for faking a murder wouldn't hesitate to agree to such a deal. And he was right.

"That sounds very tempting," Malone agreed then. "But why should you want to pay me for information you won't even use?"

Adam smiled. "Because I'm journalist. It's in my blood. I need to know the real story. I don't need to share it. The story about Mr. Taylor in prison for killing Mr. Mala will get me enough readers. But I need to know the truth." He pulled his little checkbook out of his jacket pocket, scribbling a few words on it. "So, Mr. Malone, will this make you share the truth with me?"

The reaction he got from Malone at the number on paper was no surprise for Adam. With widening eyes, the man looked up. "Absolutely," he answered.

Adam nodded satisfied. "Alright, Mr Malone. Then would you please share your information with me?"

Malone leant back and with another glance at the check he was holding, promising so much money that he knew the man next to him would be able to pay, he started to talk.

--------

Once again, Danny, Lindsay and Flack were sitting in the office of the police officer, waiting. This time they were waiting for Adam Ross to arrive with the wished information. Jessica had managed to get Stella out of the police station and over to the Angell's café with the hope she could distract her friend just a little bit.

"Do you think Mr. Ross will get us the information we need?" Flack asked after a while.

Danny shrugged. "He found out where my family is living in Italy, he even got an address. I think getting information from a corrupt cop should be an easy job for him."

Lindsay nodded in agreement. "He's good at his job. I once heard the New York Times wanted to pay him enormous much money if he started to write for them and only them. He didn't take the offer though, because he rather wanted to keep his independence and to make sure he had time for other jobs, like the lectures or what he's doing now for us."

Flack made an impressed face. "Sounds like the man knows what he wants. That's nice." He wanted to add more but was interrupted by a knocking at his office door. "Yes, come in."

As if he had known they were talking about him, Adam entered the room. As three pairs of eyes turned towards him, he blushed for a tiny moment, smiling.

"Hello," he said, coughing lightly to fight his immediately rising nervousness down. During his job nervousness was no topic for him. But outside of work, he easily got shy and hesitant.

"Mr. Ross, welcome back," Danny greeted him, getting up from his chair to shake the hand of the excited man. "We've already been eagerly waiting for. Could you talk to Malone?"

Adam nodded, his smile turning a little more confidence. He sat down in the chair Flack offered him. "Yes, I have it all on tape. You will be happy about what I found out. In fact I have an entire confession on said tape."

Danny, Lindsay and Flack exchanged a surprised look. "That means?" she wanted to know.

"That means we have the proof that your friend is innocent," Adam answered with a constantly widening smile. "Mr. Malone told me that he was hired by an officer called Stanley Gerrard. The man wants Mr. Taylor in prison because your friend found out Mr. Gerrard is getting paid for getting criminals out of prison. Mr. Malone said that he himself went to Mr. Mala due to the wish of Mr. Gerrard and they signed a contract that Mr. Mala should steal Miss Bonasera's plans but wouldn't be send to prison. This way they wanted your friend to step in. As that happened, Mr. Gerrard obviously went to the meeting first. From what Malone told him, he's been having a close eye on you and found out about your whole plan. So he went to the meeting and killed Mr. Mala. Now all Mr. Malone had to do was destroying the documents and to make sure everyone would believe Mr Taylor has a motive."

The three friends stared at Adam in surprise for a couple of moment, neither of them able to say a single word. This story even topped everything they had imagined themselves.

"So Gerrard killed Mala and wanted to make it look like Mac did it," Flack said, shaking his head. "I always thought he was a strange man and I didn't have a doubt Mac's suspicion could be right. But that he would go so far and turn into a murderer...that even surprises me."

"And you have all that on tape?" Lindsay asked.

Adam nodded, pulling the tape out of his jacket. "It's all on here. I made a couple of copies, one is hidden safely in my safe."

"That's impressive, Mr. Ross." Danny took the tape from the man, giving him a smile. "Not only did you find my family, you even got us this confession. No surprise you're such a famous journalist."

"Now the question only is...will Malone believe us when we confront him?" Flack said. "He could easily say the tape is no evidence because he was paid for his answers. Then again this was yet another undercover job."

Lindsay nodded. "Exactly. And I'm sure that when we confront Malone, he won't hesitate to be honest if we threaten him that we go right to Gerrard and show him what he said. Even if this couldn't be used as evidence, what I don't believe, this man who's not hesitant to kill Mala wouldn't even blink before he headed after Malone. That threat should be enough for Malone to confess."

Looking up from the tape, Danny raised his eyebrows at Lindsay, giving her a tiny smirk. "I have to say, Lindsay, being a journalist will be a great job for you with your skills. Or if you ever feel like it, turn into a private investigator, that would suit you as well."

Lindsay laughed. "And in between I'll work for Stella." She couldn't help but blush at the impressed nods she got from Adam and Flack as well. "I just try to sum up what information and opportunities we have."

"Which makes you so great for this job," Adam told her. "Would it be alright for you if you told me how this case went?"

"Absolutely," Flack told him. "And you'll be the one who'll be allowed to write it. I'm sure the newspapers will pay you more than ever if this story comes out."

Adam grinned proudly as he watched the three friends leaving the office to meet Malone. "See, just do your job, you're good at it," he told himself before he got up as well.

--------

Malone had just arrived in his office. Sitting down at his desk, he examined the check he was still holding tightly. So much money he would get from the journalist, just because he had told him a true story. Grinning amused, he shook his head. For him Adam's longing for the truth was plain stupid, especially when he was willing to pay that much money. But for him, Malone it was good.

"Yes, please," he said without bothering to look up at first when a knocking at the door announced a visitor. The door was pushed open roughly. Slowly looking up, Malone prepared for yet another person who would be getting on his nerves. The more surprised he was as he recognized the three person standing in front of him.

"Hello Malone," Flack greeted his colleague. "Bored or something? We have work for you to do."

"Or at least we have something we would like to talk to you about," Danny added.

"And you better don't try to get around this conversation," Lindsay continued. Slamming the door shut, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Because there is no way you will get out of this office without talking to us."

Malone stared up at Danny, Lindsay and Flack. He was aware of the fact that those three would want to talk to him about their friend. And even though he didn't know what they wanted to try now, he got a suspicion that he was in trouble.

**Preview: Danny, Lindsay and Flack confront Malone and Gerrard. What will happen to Mac?**


	41. The Answers For All The Questions

**A/N: Thank you so much again to all of you for reviewing! Also thanks for reading of course! Here is a new chapter again, I hope you'll like it. Special thanks to Hannah554, afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Rosa Atrus, lily moonlight and rocksmacked!**

**Chapter 41: The Answers For All The Questions**

Malone was sitting at his desk, staring up at the three persons in front of him. Sweat was breaking out on his forehead, a very uncomfortable feeling was spreading inside him. He knew he was in trouble, even before either of those three had actually told him why they were in his office in the first place. But being the officer he was, he sat up straight, coughing lightly to overplay his nervousness as he stared back with narrowed eyes.

"Alright, would someone please enlighten me what this show is about?" he asked.

"That's easy, Malone," Flack said. Fishing the little tape out of his jacket pocket, he slammed it down in front of the man onto his desk. Malone glanced down at it, a suspicion slowly rising inside him, causing him to curse himself.

Lindsay, who had been watching Malone closely since the moment they had practically stormed into his office, had noticed the way his discomfort was increasing with every second. She knew he was aware of the trouble he was in. In every other situation she would have felt sorry for him.

But this case was different. The man in front of her hadn't cared a bit about how Mac had been feeling while being accused of being a murderer even though he was clearly innocent. This man in front of her had let another man pay him for hiding a murder and for trying to get someone else in prison. If someone didn't deserve her sympathy, it was him.

"Mr Malone, I bet you know pretty exactly what's on this tape, right?" Danny asked him when Malone hadn't spoken a single word for minutes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." the officer started to defend himself but was immediately cut off again.

"Don't try to fool us," Lindsay hissed at him, causing all three men to look at her in surprise. "You know what's on this tape. You know exactly why we're here, except you're even more stupid than I thought. What do you think why we're here, to have a nice little conversation with you? You know we're here because of our friend, and what do you think this tape has to do with that?" She glared at Malone, letting all her disgust shining through. "To make it easier for you, Mr Malone. Does the name Adam Ross ring a bell?"

The way Malone's eyes slightly widened at the confirmation of what he had already expected was what she had expected. Still he made another desperate attempt at rescuing himself.

"I don't let myself getting yelled at by...a woman," he said full of disgust. "I always knew there was a reason why your voice hasn't been counting a single bit. Hopefully one day the government will realise giving women the right to vote was a mistake as all we get to hear is stupid stuff like that..."

"Hey, if I was you, I would be incredibly careful what I say next," this time Danny interrupted. "And to come back to our question...do you still have no idea why we could be here?"

Malone glared back at him, leaning back in his chair. "Not at all."

"No?" Flack took the tape again. "Then you surely don't mind to let us all listen to all those nice information you have shared with Mr Adam Ross? I'm sure especially Officer Gerrard will be delighted by what he might get to hear." A grin lit his face as Malone's face went pale in an instant. "Oh, looks like he remembers now."

"Mr Malone, you might not give a bit on what a woman has to say," Lindsay told the man coldly. "But I'm sure combined with the information Mr Taylor has found regarding your dear friend, every judge and attorney would give a lot on a tape that reveals what is really happening behind the scenes of the New York State Police."

"No one will believe anything that is on this tape," Malone hissed back. "He bought my statement. He paid me for that! No one will believe anything he's said. Like he said, it would ruin his career also."

"It would not," Danny answered. "Because this was in the function of an undercover informant and we took care that we have more witnesses than us this time. But even if this tape couldn't be used as evidence, we still have other ways we could use it."

"And how?" Malone laughed sarcastically. His eyes revealed though he was close to losing it.

"Like we said before, Officer Gerrard would surly be happy to hear what is on that tape," Flack told him with a grin as he sat down at the edge of Malone's desk, toying with the tape. "I'm sure he'll be very happy that the man he paid went to the next journalist and told him what exactly he has done."

"What?" Malone exclaimed. "You...can't show that to him."

"Oh, why not? Are you scared of him?" Lindsay replied sarcastically.

"But you don't have to be worried, Malone," Danny replied with a cold smile. "Because we're so wonderful people, we'll offer you a deal."

Flack nodded. Reaching into his jacket pocket once again, he fished his notebook out of it and, together with a pen, slammed it down in front of the still shocked Malone. "Give us a real statement," he ordered. "Tell us what really happened and that Mac Taylor is innocent. If you don't do that..." He nodded at the tape. "...then Officer Gerrard will have a copy on his desk sooner than you can blink."

Once again Malone stared at the three persons in front of him. He knew fighting back didn't make sense. And so he took the pen and paper.

---------

For a while now, Officer Gerrard tried to call Officer Malone. He couldn't tell why, but he had the feeling that something was wrong. Something wasn't going like planned. He couldn't tell where this suspicion was coming from, but he couldn't help it.

His suspicion increased while he once again got nothing else to hear but the dial tone. He was getting nervous. So far he was convinced he could trust in the officer. But who was just as easy to pay as he himself could also easily get into wrong hands. What if Malone had switched sides because someone else had paid him more?

"That's stupid," Gerrard said to himself then though. There was no way Malone would dare to step up against him. He hadn't hesitated to kill Frankie Mala, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Malone either. And the man knew that.

"Indeed this is very stupid," a loud voice from outside his office all of the sudden said. Before Gerrard could even wonder who was speaking, the door was pushed open and three people entered the room. One of them he knew, the other man he had seen before but the woman he didn't know at all.

"Officer Flack?" Gerrard gave the only familiar man in the room a confused look. "What is the reason for me having the pleasure to meet you and...your two friends?"

Flack laughed sarcastically. "Today we seem to be only around clueless people," he said, shaking his head. "Officer Gerrard, does the name Mac Taylor sound familiar to you?"

"Of course, who doesn't know Mac Taylor?" He glanced at Danny. "And you have to be Danny Messer, right? You all managed to catch this drug dealer. Katums, right?"

"Looks like your memory is still working well," Danny replied. "Then you surely also remember who Frankie Mala is?"

"Frankie Mala?" Gerrard looked at the three of them as if he was thinking. In fact he knew his suspicion had been right. They were there for a reason. Cold shivers were running down his spine. "That fashion designer, right?"

"The man who you made a contract with that he wouldn't get arrested for stealing the plans of fellow fashion designer Stella Bonasera, to be exact," Flack corrected him.

The answer caused Gerrard's eyes to widen, despite his desperate self control. He knew he had serious problems. But he wouldn't give up that easily. "What are you talking about?"

"We're talking about the man you have killed to make sure Mac Taylor gets arrested for his murder so you don't have to worry anyone finds out you're a corrupt policeman," Lindsay summed it up.

Gerrard stared at her in disbelief. He had seen it coming. That those three were so aware of what he had done though even surprised him. Obviously Malone was even more stupid than he had thought.

"Speechless, Officer?" Flack asked with a grin. "I'm sorry, that surely is a shock. And you better don't waste your time with explaining to us that either you have no idea what we're talking about or that it is not what it looks like."

"And what else do you expect me to say instead?" Gerrard replied coldly. He knew pretending and acting like the understanding policeman wouldn't help him. "I don't think you have any evidence for this theory. Of course you would try everything to get your friend out of prison and so you come up with every possibly way to make that happen."

Lindsay laughed at those words. "Mr Gerrard, don't you think we expected you to react that way?" she asked him sweetly. "Of course we have evidence. We have statements, documents, a murder weapon, bullets...do you need me to continue?"

Gerrard stared back at her in silence. Then he turned his attention to the two men who were presenting him bags of which content he was all too aware. For a few moments he thought about defending himself once again or about other options he had. It didn't take him more than a few moments to realise he had lost this battle.

"And what am I supposed to do now in your eyes?" he wanted to know.

"We want you to confess as well," Flack told him. "We want Stella Bonasera's plans back. And we want to make sure Mac Taylor comes free."

Gerrard hesitated for yet another moment. He felt like the room had turned ice cold. He was shivering. Still he didn't want to understand he had indeed lost what had seemed to be a win situation for him. But even though he wasn't easy to scare or defeat, he knew in this situation he had no other chance. He was aware of what this statement, weapon an documents could do to him. And so he took the paper from Flack to make his statement.

---------

Mac barely couldn't handle it anymore. Sitting in the interrogation room, staring at naked walls, waiting for yet another officer to come in or Malone returning to question him once again. Almost he was close to a point where he wanted to give in and confess, just so he could finally leave this room.

Almost. Mac knew the moment he would confess, there would be no way for his friends to help him anymore. It was hard, it was painful. But he had to stay strong. He had to stay strong to get out of this situation again. For them all. And especially for Stella.

Sighing deeply, he leant back in his chair, staring up towards the ceiling. It was just as dark and dirty as the rest of this room. He had to admit he had barely wondered how people felt like when they got interrogated. But no matter if guilty or not; being on the side of the suspect was nothing enjoyable. He dearly hoped that he would get out of this situation again soon and would never have to face it again.

Once again he released a deep sigh. But before he could sit up straight again, the door of the interrogation room flew open. Before he got a chance to react, Stella rushed into the room, causing him to instinctively jump up.

"Mac!" she exclaimed, without hesitation throwing herself into his arms, embracing him so tight he seemed to be almost unusual for the strength of a woman.

"Stella," he replied, closing his arms around her as she seemed to hold him even closer. To his steadily increasing surprise, not an officer but Danny, Lindsay, Flack and Jessica followed her. Stepping into the room as well, all of them gave him a warm smile that confused him even more. "What happened?"

Stella released him from her tight grip, pulling back enough so she could face her. He found tears glistering lightly in her eyes, but opposite to that, a bright smile was plastered over her face.

"Your innocence is proven," she told him. "The real murderers have been found. Do you remember the officer you have been following? He has killed Frankie Mala to get you in prison instead. Malone was working together with him."

Mac stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious about that?" he asked. "But how could he know...and how...?"

Stella laughed. "I think before we explain every single detail to you, we'll first get you out of this room," she told him. When Mac didn't react but still stood there and stared at her, she raised her eyebrows. "Except you would rather like to stay in here."

It took Mac another couple of moments. The sudden turns of events had overwhelmed him. Just a few second earlier, he had been close to confessing a murder he hadn't committed. Now his girlfriend was telling him that he could simply walk out of this horrible room and that the real responsible persons had been arrested.

He was free. He was really free. The moment realisation hit him, a relieved smile softened his face as well. He shook his head. "No way I will stay in here longer than necessary." With that he took Stella's hand. "And I hope you all can tell me how you made that happen."

Stella's smile widened. "Oh, we will."

With that Mac followed Stella, Danny, Lindsay, Flack and Jessica out of the interrogation room. Once again he glanced back at it, just for a moment. Faster than expected he had gotten the chance he had been hoping for; to walk out of this room as a free man. His smile widened. He hoped he would never get back in such a situation again. But he had also learnt from it. A lot.

**Preview: The friends celebrate together. And Danny has a surprise for Lindsay.**


	42. Celebrations And Surprises

**Author's note: Thank you so much to everyone who's been reviewing this chapter! Also huge thanks to everyone who's still reading this fic! I'm happy you enjoyed this storyline and I want to thank afrozenheart412, who suggested it! Special thanks to Rosa Atrus, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Catulicious, Hannah554, lily moonlight, afrozenheart412, rocksmacked and saturn567!**

**Chapter 42: Celebrations And Surprises**

It was late, getting close to midnight. Most people had left to head home, barely anyone was to see out in the streets of New York. It almost seemed like the city was left. Only the full, pale moon above, the few stars that were to see and the streetlights were giving light for those few who were still on their way to their apartments or to their late night shifts.

The Angell's café was a contrast to what else was to see in the now quiet city. Still lit up brightly, the noises of laughter and chatting found their way outside. No guest was left anymore. It was more of a private meeting between friends, celebrating together.

A few hours had passed since Mac had been allowed to leave the police station again after his friends had proven that he was innocent. For him, it had been a horrible experience to sit in the interrogation room, knowing he had done nothing wrong but not sure if he would be able to prove that.

But he didn't have to prove it alone. His friends had found the information and evidence and together they had managed to help him. Now all those friends were sitting in the café with him, together at one huge table, and with a smile full of gratitude, he was watching them. Every single of them had shown support and comfort. If he had been scared to trust in people before, now he knew that in those friends, he could always trust.

"Alright, would you please allow me to speak for a moment?" he shouted then, gently knocking his spoon against his glass to catch everyone's attention. Immediately everyone was looking at him, waiting for him to speak. Stella, who was sitting on his left side, had taken his hand and squeezed it gently as he smiled at her. On his right side, he had Danny and Lindsay sitting, who exchanged a smile, both holding hands as well. Across of him he found Flack and Jessica, both mirroring each other's happy expressions. Also there was Adam sitting at the table; after all his help, Mac had wanted to thank him personally.

"We're here today because I want to thank all my wonderful friends for the fact I'm able to sit here now," he started then. "That we have been working together on getting Stella here her plans back has shown to me how much we want to help each other. The way you all, every single of you, stood behind me and tried your best in every possible way to show me comfort and to prove that I'm innocent though showed to me that this here isn't just a bunch of friends. I have always wondered how people can claim their friends as their family. Now I understand what they meant with that. I know I can always rely on you and I hope you know I would always try my best to give that back to you. Thank you for everything you did for me."

For a moment, everyone in the room was silent. Everyone was looking at Mac, all of them smiling, all of them clearly affected by his words. He had spoken out what everyone was thinking for a long while now. Their strong friendship was coming very close to being family-like.

"Mac, you know we would do everything to help you," Danny said then with a smile at his boss. "You know what social and fantastic people we are."

Mac chuckled as the others laughed at the comment. "You really are, that is very true." He turned to Adam, who was sitting across of him still. "And Mr Ross, you will write an article about the whole events."

Adam nodded. "Together with Miss Monroe."

"Really?" Danny looked at her in surprise. "You will write your first article?"

Lindsay blushed lightly. "Yes. I know. It's a very big one as my first article. But it might be a good chance."

"And I know you will be wonderful with it," Danny told Lindsay with a smile, causing her to blush even more as she smiled back at him.

"Stella, we also have something for you," Jessica said then.

"Oh, really?" Stella looked surprised.

Flack nodded. "Yes, I think in all the trouble, we forgot about the reasons why Mac actually did this undercover job."

"Exactly," Jessica agreed. She turned around. "Dad, can you come in and show us the little surprise?"

Everyone turned around toward the kitchen, where Cliff appeared with a broad smile. He was carrying a couple of papers in his arms; papers everyone immediately recognized.

"Are those . . . my plans?" Stella's eyes widened. "Indeed I've almost forgotten about them while Mac has been at the police station all the time."

"That is what we thought," Flack said as Cliff handed the plans over to the woman. "After we arrested Malone, we had a look at his apartment and we found the rest of the plans which Mala hadn't taken with him."

"Thank you so much." Stella smiled gratefully.

"And now that Mac is free again and Stella has her plans back, how about a toast?" Danny asked, raising his glass already.

"A toast to the best friends one can imagine," Lindsay suggested.

Everyone of the friends followed their example. "To the best friends one can imagine," they all cheered.

The chatting and celebrating continued for almost another hour. It was Mac and Stella, who announced they wanted to head home now and get the rest they needed after such a long and hard day. The others agreed; all of them were happy, but still exhausted as well. It hadn't been an easy day and still they had to go through a lot of rough emotions. So far, Lindsay and Danny hadn't even had the chance to announce that Lindsay's mother was back in the city. But this would have time for the next day. Then they would share that news with their friends and once again they would have a reason to celebrate.

"Do you mind that we couldn't celebrate your mother's return yet?" Danny asked as he and Lindsay walked out of the café and onto the street to head home as well.

Lindsay shook her head. "No. I think the events from today needed to be celebrated first. This way, we have another reason to meet and celebrate. Also I would like to invite my mother and my father. This way they can get to know her as well."

"That sounds good to me," Danny agreed. He paused for a moment, the way he clearly wanted to say more causing Lindsay to look up at him curiously. She didn't have to ask though as he added, "When we're home, there is a little surprise awaiting you. That's why I was a bit late as I arrived at the café earlier."

"A surprise? For me?" Lindsay looked at him in excitement. "What is it?"

Danny chuckled, shaking his head at her. "I think the purpose of a surprise is that you don't know what it is."

Lindsay laughed as well. "Fine, I think I can wait until we're home."

Danny nodded. He could imagine Lindsay wanted to know what he had planned already. He was glad their way home wasn't long as he could barely control his own excitement as well.

---------

As they arrived at home, Lindsay could feel her heart beating faster while she and Danny walked upstairs to their apartment. She had no idea what kind of a surprise was awaiting her. She loved surprises, but being just as impatient as her boyfriend, she wanted to know what it was so badly. Especially because she could feel him getting more and more nervous as well.

Her small hand was holding his tightly as he unlocked the door to let them in. Before they could walk further into the apartment, he made them stop.

"Can you wait here for a moment?" he asked her, his voice revealing his excitement. "And please, I know how much you want to know what it is, but can you try to not have a look?"

"I'll try," she answered with a smile, remaining where she was. It took Lindsay a lot of self-control to not follow Danny into the living room. So much she wanted to know what he was doing. But she didn't want to ruin his surprise for him. Her curiosity was strong. Her wish to allow him to succeed with his surprise was stronger.

Luckily she didn't have to wait long. A moment later already, Danny returned into the hallway. "Come here," he told her and Lindsay walked over to him, noticing how her whole body was tickling with anticipation.

He led her into the living room that no longer was dark. Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Almost every surface was covered with candles. The floor and couch were decorated with what had to be hundreds of leaves of roses. It was a sight that made her speechless for a moment.

"I know I might not be the most romantic man you can imagine, but I thought roses and candles you would like," he said softly. Turning to face him, Lindsay noticed the nervousness in his eyes that she was sure would overwhelm him every moment. A nervousness that made her realize what in fact was the surprise that was awaiting her and in an instant she could feel the first tears rising in her eyes. Tears of pure joy.

"It's perfect," she answered.

He smiled shyly as he stepped in front of her, gently taking her hands into his. She could feel his hands were shaking just as much as hers. This was a moment she had secretly been longing forever since she had read a certain information in a certain letter.

"Listen, I don't think I'm that good with moments like this, although I don't think it's a bad thing I didn't do something like that before," he started, causing her to smile as the first tears were about to roll down her cheeks. "I think you know really well what I'm about to do. In fact you already know that I want to marry you and you already agreed to that. But . . . I thought you deserve more than learning it from a letter."

He paused for a moment and she could see how he was trying to control himself to get through his speech. As he locked eyes with her again, all she could see in his expression was pure love. Love for her.

"You know I've been going through a couple of rough times since I came to New York," he continued. "I've handled all those situations. I got a job, friends and a home. I worked myself up from living in an ally to where I am now. But still there has been something missing. I've never really understood what that was. I thought I should be happy. Completely happy. And I was. But still something inside me wasn't complete."

Once again he paused and she felt how he tightened his grip around her hands. Tears were glistering in his eyes as well. "See, now I know what was missing," he told her then. "I was missing love. I think as much as people pretend all they need is friends and money, it's not true. Everyone is secretly longing for the one person who will be at your side. The person you love from the bottom of your heart and who loves you back just as much. I've found this person in you. I have to admit I was often scared that I couldn't be good enough. But I soon learnt that what really matters is what we're feeling for each other. I love you and I know you love me. I know when we're together, there is nothing else I need or want and I know you love me the way I am, even though I really am not perfect. You make me feel in a way I can't even describe. I always wondered if it's true what people are talking about; that out there is this one person waiting for you. I know that it's true now. Because this one person I found now. And that's you. And that's why we're here now. Because I want to show the whole world that we belong together. So I want to ask you; do you want to marry me?"

His speech had been long and filled with emotions; emotions he usually didn't show, to anyone. Although Lindsay knew Danny wanted to marry her, it still felt like she had just heard it for the first time. And she didn't need a second to think about her reply.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, laughing and crying at the same time. "Yes, I want to marry you. More than anything else."

And before he could reply, she threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around him in a tight embrace. She had been supposed to marry before. Luckily she had gotten around it. Now she had gotten the chance to marry again and this time it was the most wonderful thought she could imagine.

"I'm so glad you said yes," he told her after a couple of moments of just holding each other. Surprised at his words, she pulled out of his arms to look up at him.

"Did you really think I wouldn't?" she asked him with raised eyebrows. Seeing the tears that were running down his cheeks made her want to just hold him even tighter. Gently she wiped them away as she added, "You knew I want to marry you. There could be anything more wonderful for me than being your wife."

"Still I wanted you to say yes to a real proposal," he replied. "And I have something else for you."

With that Danny reached into the pocket of his jacket and fished a little box out of it. Presenting it to her, he opened it, revealing a ring that once again caused her eyes to widen. What she found was a small, golden ring with a small, white stone on top.

"I know it's not the most enormous, but . . . " he started but she silenced him with a shake of her head.

"No, don't say anything like that," she interrupted him. "It's perfect. Beautiful. The most beautiful thing I ever saw."

"Just like you," he answered. Carefully he took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. For a moment, she examined the piece of jewelry that was sparkling in the soft light of the candles.

The day had been filled with many different events, just like the day before. But like so many times before, Danny had surprised Lindsay. The proposal had been even more wonderful than she had imagined it. She hadn't had a doubt she would agree to marry him; for her there was nothing more perfect than being married to this man who meant so much to her. Now they had yet another event to celebrate with their friends. With those friends who were like a family for them.

**Preview: A few weeks later; what are the friends doing now?**


	43. The Wonderful Feeling Of Having Friends

**Author's note: Like always, thank you so much for reviewing and for reading! Really, I can't tell you how excited I am to see you guys still interested in this story. Like I said, there is so much more planned for it, many more chapters and I hope you'll continue reading of course! Thank you so much for all the support, it means a lot to me! Special thanks to Hannah554, rocksmacked, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, sucker-4-SMacked, Catulicious, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard and saturn567!**

**Chapter 43: The Wonderful Feeling Of Having Friends**

September 1928:

As the days were getting shorter and the nights were getting longer, New York City was slowly getting prepared for the colder seasons. People started to wear coats again and thicker clothes. The leaves of the trees in the parks were changing their colours from the bright green into soft shades of yellow, orange and red.

Lindsay smiled brightly as she made her way through the city. She loved fall, when the weather started to get colder. There was something wonderful about cuddling up at home, with a warm cup of coffee or tea. Especially when she could do that together with Danny.

Her smile widened as she thought about her fiancé. A while ago he had officially proposed to her, in the most romantic way she could imagine. Never there had been a doubt for her that she would want to marry him; not when she had read about his wish in his letter to his family, not when he had then proposed to her properly.

For her, there couldn't be anyone more perfect for her as a husband. She loved him from the bottom of her heart, like he loved her. Still she knew that there were a couple of moments in which he was wondering. Wondering about them. More specifically about the fact they were coming from different classes. But fortunately she was aware of those thoughts and sensed them when he was having them. That way she got the chance to reassure him. Reassure him that she wanted him and only him.

She knew he believed her. Mostly due to the determination with which she reassured him of this fact. She had been supposed to marry a man who had been richer than her father. Who could have bought her everything she wanted. Who had never given her what she had really needed; love. Instead Daniel Katums had beaten her up and followed his criminal business until he had been caught.

Such a man she didn't want at all. Lindsay didn't need money, she didn't need a huge penthouse. All she wanted was a loving man who wanted her the way she was, not caring who her father was, where she had grown up. A man like Danny. He wasn't rich, he had to go through a rough past as he had immigrated to the United States, he had to fight hard in the streets of New York, not knowing whether he would find food and a place to sleep for the next day.

His fears weren't coming from being paranoid. Many people Lindsay knew from the upper class wouldn't give him a second look if they knew about the past of the now successful private investigator. To her, his past made him the man he was; someone who was filled with love and passion, for her and for the little things he knew to appreciate. He had been in a lot of trouble and still had a talent to get into it. Often he rather followed his instinct than thinking rational or making a plan of what to do.

This was him though; the one man she loved, more than anything or anyone else. Danny was who Lindsay wanted to be together with and she had proven that to him with saying yes to his proposal. And with the fact she was now living together with him. In his small apartment. Hers she hadn't enjoyed anyways and her father hadn't minded as she had told him she had wanted to move in with her fiancé. A fact that still wasn't supposed to be known by anyone outside their family and friends. But even if people knew she was living together with a man she wasn't married to yet, Lindsay wouldn't have cared. All those people who raised their eyebrows at every little thing that was different to their standards didn't matter to her anymore.

To her relief, Sid was feeling the same way finally. Her father had needed his time to understand that money wasn't everything that was important. He had started to slowly understand that while seeing his daughter falling in love with a man not for what he had to offer but for what he was feeling for her and for the way he was making her feel.

And then her mother had returned. Since Dana was living in New York again, Sid seemed to have changed completely. Many times already her mother had smiled and shared with her that this was the man she had fallen in love with again; a man who loved her and his family and who wanted to do everything to make those loved ones happy.

All of them were enjoying the well deserved love now. Lindsay and Danny would marry soon. Stella and Mac were enjoying their relationship, both of them finally getting the love they had secretly always been longing for. Jessica and Flack didn't have to hide their relationship anymore. Dana and Sid were back together. It seemed like love had returned to all of them, was giving them what all their hearts had been longing for.

Thinking of that, Lindsay's smile turned into a broad grin. She was happy that all of them had what they wanted and deserved. It was no surprise she felt excited and happy as she reached Stella's studio where she was about to meet her two best friends. Almost every day she met Jessica and Stella. This day though was special.

With excitement increasing, Lindsay stopped in front of the large door of the loft that was Stella's study. Her heart was beating faster as she rose her hand and gently knocked against the metallic surface. She didn't have to wait long. Like they had been waiting for her, the door was pushed open a bit just a moment later and Jessica's head appeared as she gave her friend a smile.

"Hey," she greeted. "We were awaiting you already. I think Stella is so excited she was about to run to the university and pick you up there personally."

Lindsay chuckled. "Really? Then she has something in common with me as I'm just nervous myself."

Jessica winked. "I can understand. You don't get to see your wedding dress for the first time every day." With that she opened the door a bit more. "Come in."

Nodding, Lindsay walked past her friend and into the large room that was the studio. Like usually, the tables were covered in paper, plastic models were showing the dresses Stella was currently working at. She heard how Jessica closed the door behind her and locked it with the new security lock that was now making sure no one else would get the chance to break into the study again.

Barely half way she had made through the room as Stella appeared in the door across of her. The expression in her friend's eyes clearly revealed what Jessica had told her already; she was excited. Very excited.

"Lindsay! I'm so glad you're here, I already wanted to come and pick you up," Stella greeted her, embracing her tightly.

"I heard," Lindsay replied, responding to the hug. "So the dress is finished? I can see it?"

"And you can put it on already," Stella added. Gently she grabbed Lindsay's arm, already pulling her with her. "It's in this room here."

With that Lindsay was gently pushed into said room. Barely she had entered it completely as she already got to see the dress in question. Her wedding dress. And in an instant she was caught by the sight, simply speechless by what she got to see.

"What do you say?" Stella asked after a couple of moments of silence and adoration.

"It's...unbelievably beautiful," Lindsay managed to say then, still not able to take her eyes off it. The dress was made of white silk. It had a tight corset with thin straps. The skirt seemed to flow down like a waterfall, creating soft waves. It was of a simple beauty that put every of the pompous dresses that were usually worn for weddings in shame. In addition to it, she was supposed to wear a long, slightly see-through vail and silky, white gloves that would reach up above her elbows. There wasn't much decoration to either the dress or the other items. But she was convinced that this was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.

"I know you didn't want it to be too spectacular, and I agree with that," Stella explained, a relieved and happy smile on her face about this reaction. "You're a beautiful woman and a dress shouldn't take away from that. This one will just emphasize what is already there."

Jessica nodded in agreement. "Your husband will love it, he won't be able to take his eyes off you."

Lindsay smiled. "It's incredibly beautiful. I'm sure he'll like it. May I try it on now?"

"Of course." Once again Stella got excited. "I would love to see how it looks when you're wearing it."

With that the women headed over to the model that was wearing the dress. Once again Lindsay could feel her excitement increasing. She had no doubt that Danny would like it. But even more important to her was the fact she was getting closer to their wedding. And with that to being married to this man who was giving her everything she had been wishing for.

-------

Angell's café had become one of the favourite places of the friends a long time ago. For them, it was the perfect place to meet at, for every possible occasion. It was perfect for discussing, for laughing and chatting, for celebrating and just for spending some nice time with friends.

Danny knew this café even better than his friends. At this place and at all the other restaurants and cafes Cliff owned, he had been working during the time he had been living in the man's basement. Still he was filled with gratitude whenever he met the man who had helped him just the moment he had needed it most. Back then he hadn't had any food, any clothes, any home. Still Cliff had done what everyone else had refused him; he had given the young, homeless boy a chance. A home and a job. Danny didn't have a doubt that thanks to him, he had managed to get to the point he was at now. And he was glad for that, keeping it in mind every day.

Now Danny was sitting in his favourite café again, together with Flack and Mac. Adam and Dr. Sheldon Hawkes had joined them as well; for a while now, the two men were a constant part of their meetings. Adam, the successful journalist who despite the fact he was famous still didn't feel like showing of with it, had shown his support to them more than once. Sheldon, the young doctor, had shown up again at another dinner party at Sid's penthouse, where Danny had taken the chance to intensify the contact to the friendly man. This way, their group of friends had extended and now once again they were sharing one of those meetings they all loved so much.

"And now tell us, Danny, how are you feeling while getting closer and closer to being a married man?" Flack asked, giving his friend a knowing smile. Many times in the past the two men had talked about women and relationships. Marriage also had been a topic. Danny had been convinced he wouldn't make a good husband and also hadn't seen a sense in getting married. Which had changed immediately as he had met Lindsay. And fallen in love with her right instantly.

Danny couldn't prevent himself from sighing. "I think I have barely been that excited and nervous before," he admitted. "It's such a wonderful event and I'm eagerly looking forward to the moment Lindsay and I will say our wedding vows."

"Then why is there a but?" Adam wanted to know, with his journalistic skills sensing what else his friend wanted to say.

"I think that's quite easy," Danny answered. His expression turned serious as all too familiar thoughts returned into his mind. "I might be the man she chose to marry. But still I can work as hard as I want, I can't give her all that she is used to from her childhood."

"Do you think that this matters at all?" Sheldon asked. "I know Lindsay for a long while now. I think it is safe to say that money never mattered for her. She has a big apartment, but we all know she rather wants to live at yours with you. There are many rich men who would immediately marry her. But she doesn't want them. She wants you. It's not the money that's attracting her. It's the man."

Mac nodded in agreement. "Sheldon is perfectly right with what he is saying," he agreed. "You love her, don't you?"

"More than anything or anyone else," Danny answered with determination.

"Exactly. And you know that she loves you just as much, don't you?" Mac wanted to know.

Danny nodded. "Yes, she does."

"And that is all you need to know," Mac said while the others nodded in full agreement. "Money isn't important. Like Sheldon said, it doesn't matter to her. She even had to face a man who was rich, but you know he didn't make her happy. All she needs is a man like you. A man who truly loves her. A man who she loves back just as much. I wouldn't worry if you'll be a good husband or not. I think I'm speaking for everyone in this room when I say that you will be perfect in this role. You just have to keep on following your instinct. Your heart. It will tell you what is right."

Once again, Danny gave his friends a grateful smile. Those statement had been what he had needed to hear; just a little reassuring. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Mac answered. He continued watching Danny as Flack made a comment that caught his friend's attention. This moment he had been waiting for and quickly before the younger man could notice, he leant over to Adam. "How is our little surprise doing?" he wanted to know.

Adam smiled broadly, immediately knowing what Mac was talking about. "This special wedding gift you have planned will be a success. It's working."

"Perfect," Mac answered with a satisfied smile.

While Mac sat up straight again, trying to not show that there was a special surprise planned for the happy couple, Danny had watched the little conversation. He had no idea what his friends were planning. He assumed it was something nice for him and Lindsay. As curious as he was, he wouldn't question his friends. He was looking forward to whatever they were planning. And one thing he could be certain of; if someone was able to come up with a wonderful idea to make the couple happy, it was this group of friends.

**Preview: Mac and Stella talk about the surprise for Danny and Lindsay while the couple talks about marriage.**


	44. Of Surprises And Real Love

**Author's note: I wish you all a Happy New Year! Thank you so much to all of you for reviewing! Also huge thanks for reading the fic! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Hannah554, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, sucker-4-SMacked, Catulicious, rocksmacked, lily moonlight and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 44: Of Surprises And Real Love**

It seemed like ages since Mac had started to work in this office that for some period of time had almost been his second home. Young he had been as he had decided he wanted to be his own boss. Which was only natural as a private investigator. But anyway Mac had needed to make himself a name, which had meant he had been working for another PI. His boss had been a kind man, but still Mac had been glad the moment he had stepped into his own office for the first time, knowing that now no one was above him anymore in the hierarchy.

As much as Mac had enjoyed to work on his own, he was grateful to have a partner, for a couple of years as well now. Clearly he could remember the day Danny had knocked at his office door for the first time. Almost like a young boy he had looked like back then, slightly unsure about himself, asking for a possible job or at least for any chances to gain some work experience.

An instinct had been what had made him ask the young man to enter his office and sit down to tell his story. And telling his story had been what he had done. Still Mac could remember how Danny had shared every single bit of himself with him, after the first insecurity obviously deciding that honesty would lead him further than hiding behind an unnecessary wall. Clearly Danny had told him he didn't want to get a job offered because Mac was pitying him.

But it hadn't been his reason for employing the young man. It had been Danny's passion for his job, his wish to work and to earn his own money. He had followed his instinct and decided to give the young private investigator a chance. Which he had never regretted. Soon he had gotten to see what he had always known since the moment he had laid eyes on Danny for the first time back then at his office door. Danny was good in his job. Very good. He had a talent for handling clients of all kinds, no matter how complicated those were.

Mac was grateful to have Danny as his partner and as his friend. Soon the professional relationship being colleagues required had deepened, had made them become close friends. Many times they had proven they could rely on each other. For Mac, the way his younger friend had fought for him to prove his innocence, together with the rest of what he secretly called his family.

So for Mac it was given that he would make sure his present for Danny and Lindsay he wanted to surprise the couple with at their wedding would be something special, something that would show them both how much their friendship meant to him.

A surprise that seemed to be working perfectly so far, thanks to the help of journalist Adam Ross, who had proven his skills not only with getting evidence for Mac's innocence but also with finding Danny's family in Italy.

With a smile on his face, Mac glanced down at the letter he was holding, reading it over once again. Adam was a great help and didn't seem to have any problem with keeping a secret hidden. He didn't have a doubt this surprise would have a big impact, on both of his friends. Once again it was a risky idea, but once again Mac was determined to follow his instinct and listen to his heart. After all this had caused him to make his best decisions so far.

Deep in his thoughts as he was reading the letter over once more, Mac missed how the door to his office was opened lightly. He didn't notice Stella who peeked into the room, making sure she didn't either want to startle her busy boyfriend or to interrupt a possible meeting with a client. Like she had hoped, she found him alone in his room though, with a smile that instinctively made her smile herself. Whatever he was reading seemed to be something nice. And immediately it caught her curiosity.

Carefully closing the door again, Stella stepped further into the room. She couldn't prevent herself from thinking about how much she enjoyed to watch Mac while he was unaware of her appearance. Stella knew she wasn't supposed to have any longing thoughts towards her boyfriend, in fact she wasn't even allowed to sleep at his place, or let him sleep at hers for that matter. Society still dictated that a man and a woman had to make sure to not be too close to each other before marriage, if possible even had to try and join different activities for their free time.

Stella didn't care what society tried to dictate though. She had never been a woman like others might have wanted her to be. She had a strong and independent character, she didn't want to fit into any roles that society wanted to see her in. Stella knew that Lindsay was feeling the same way. It had worried her as her friend had been pushed into a relationship with a violent man and almost had been forced to marry him.

But listening to Stella's advice, Lindsay had found a way; she had decided to go to Danny and ask for help. Back then already, Stella had known that this decision had been the best her friend could have made. She had been right; her friend had found everything she had really been wishing for. Stella was glad to see the effect Danny had on Lindsay. Instead of dominating her like men usually did in those times, he was gently encouraging her determined and independent self. It was working perfectly already.

Stella didn't bother herself with wondering whether her behaviour around Mac and as a fashion designer was appropriate or not; she and her friends were different than other women these days. And she was proud of it.

With an amused smile about how deep Mac had to be in his thoughts, or busy with his lecture for that matter, Stella made her way over to his desk and stopped as the skirt of her dress was close to touching its edge. She rested her hands on her hips as she playfully shook her head.

"Mac?" she said in an attempt to catch the man's attention. She bit her bottom lip as Mac jerked out of his thoughts and gazed up at her in surprise at the visitor he hadn't even noticed approaching.

"Stella!" he greeted her with a smile, getting up from his chair to greet his girlfriend. Like a gentleman, she thought. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you coming in as I was too busy with this letter here."

"A letter?" Stella threw a curious glance at the piece of paper Mac was still holding as she sat down in the chair across of him. "It seemed to have been a nice one as you were smiling all the time. And an interesting as well when you don't even notice me coming in here."

Mac smiled at her observations. "I have good news indeed. This letter here is related to the wedding gift for Danny and Lindsay on which Adam and I are working together."

Stella glanced at him in surprise. "You and Adam are planning the wedding surprise for them already?"

Mac nodded. "You told me you wanted to make a collection dedicated to her and offer Lindsay a job. This is wonderfully personal and I know she will love you for that. Now I want to do something special for Danny as well and Adam offered me some help."

"May I know what you're planning to do for him?" Stella asked curiously. "I shared my ideas with you and I promise I will keep it completely to myself."

"I know you will," Mac replied with a smile. "Of course I will share my idea with you. I'm sure you remember that a while back Adam found out where Danny's family lives in Italy and he contacted them?" When Stella nodded, he continued, "So far he didn't hear back from them and I know it is upsetting him. I don't believe they don't want to contact him back though. I rather believe that they have difficulties over there. I can only imagine how much he wants to see his family again now that he knows where they are and that they're all fine."

Mac hadn't revealed his entire plan yet, still Stella's eyes widened as she listened to him, having an idea of what would be revealed next. "Do you want to tell me that you want to make it possible for them to visit him?" she wanted to know.

Mac's smile widened at her words as he shook his head in amusement. "You never fail to impress me with showing me how much you know me," he told her with a wink. "Yes, Adam and I contacted them, sharing with them that their son will marry soon and that it would be a special surprise and wonderful event for him if they managed to come over to the United States. I also asked Dr. Hammerback for help, who likes the idea a lot himself and offered to pay the journey for them. Today a letter of the man in Italy who Adam contacted to forward this information to the family arrived here."

"Please tell me they want to come over," Stella almost pleaded as she grabbed for the letter which Mac willingly let her take. Quickly she read over the paper before a bright smile lit her face as she found the wished information.

"You made it happen, you really did!" she exclaimed then. "And they're already on their way, they will arrive right for the wedding!"

Mac nodded. "Yes. The surprise is working, better than I imagined."

"It is perfect," Stella said, shaking her head in amazement. "You're such a wonderful man for doing that for your friends. This will be one of the most wonderful gifts they have ever received."

Mac smiled back at her in response, at Stella's loving words feeling a warmth rising inside him that made him realise once again that if he followed his instinct, it would make him do what was the best. For everyone. And in this case especially for those friends who had shown him so many times already what he meant to them.

--------

It was yet another beautiful day in fall. Still it was warm, the sun was shining brightly, seemingly causing the colourful leaves of the trees in Central Park to sparkle. It was one of those days that promised to be wonderful. Lindsay was convinced by that. Instinctively she snuggled closer against Danny next to who she was walking along one of the many paths in the large park. Many people were out, but to her they were almost non existent. She was spending the lunch break with her fiancé. This was what was important. Not the looks the enamored couple was receiving.

"Isn't this a wonderful day?" she asked after a while as they were strolling along one of the beautiful lakes. Still ducks were swimming around, quacking and diving for food. The sun was glistering in the uneven water as tiny waves were gently hitting against the edge of it.

"It always is a wonderful day when I can spend my lunch break with you," Danny replied as he smiled down at her. "Not only the lunch breaks I like to spend with you. Also the mornings before work. Or the evenings when I come home. Or the nights. Before we fall asleep."

At his gentle teasing, Lindsay raised her eyebrows, couldn't prevent a tiny smirk to appear on her face though. "This isn't an appropriate topic for being in a public area," she told him with a warning look, not able to hide the amusement in her expression.

Danny shrugged. "You will be my wife soon. I don't mind if people think there are topic we're not allowed to talk about."

"I don't mind that either," Lindsay agreed.

They had reached a near bench at the lake and as if they had read each other's minds, they sat down together. This time Danny rested his arm around her waist as she rested her head against his shoulder. It was a moment of those that Lindsay enjoyed the most. They didn't have to spend days at a café or restaurant, chatting about every possible topic available. For them, it often felt right already to just sit by each other, holding each other as they enjoyed the closeness they shared.

"Husband and wife," she said then, enjoying the way those words sounded while she was referring to them. "Can you believe we will get married soon? Then we don't even have to hide that we're living together anymore. We have all right to be a couple in public." She glanced up at Danny, making sure she didn't find the evidence of thoughts in his eyes which she didn't want to be present in his mind. Her instinct had just chosen the right moment for her to look at him; her suspicion was exactly what she found. "Would you please not think those thoughts again?"

Danny glanced back at her, for a moment in surprise until he released a tiny sigh. "You know me too well already. As if we're married for decades," he replied with a soft smile.

Lindsay smiled back. "Maybe I just know you really well. But would you share with me why you're still bothering yourself with those thoughts? You know you and me, we're supposed to be together."

"I'm sorry," he told her. "It is just not easy as I'm still afraid to not be good enough for you."

"But why shouldn't you?" she asked with raised eyebrows. "It could also be the other way around, couldn't it? Who says I'm good enough for you? Ah!" She silenced him as he wanted to speak up. "Don't tell me I'm perfect for you. I'm not perfect. I have flaws, just like you, just like all of our friends. No one of us is perfect. Neither you nor me."

"But you're perfect for me," Danny explained.

"Which is what I'm talking about myself," Lindsay replied. "You are perfect for me. I love you. You love me. I don't want you to ever have a doubt about that. Or about that we're supposed to be together. No person in this world is perfect. Important is that we're perfect for each other. Because you and me are giving each other what we need the most. Love."

With relief she saw the smile that lit his face at the words she had told him so many times before already. "I know you're right. I think sometimes I just need to hear it again to understand it's really truly happening," he said then. "And I promise to you that I will try everything possible to make you happy. For that I want you to make sure you come to me and talk to me when you're upset. I want us to clarify every possible misunderstanding so we can make sure we will stay happy as we're now."

"I promise I'll come to you," she responded, snuggling back against him. "If you promise to do the same." Glancing up, she saw him nod. "I think we just have to continue the way we're handling our relationship now. Look at us. Look at how many difficult situations we had to handle already. Look at how strong the love we share is. This relationship we have is a gift. I don't have a doubt that we will be able to handle our marriage in a good way."

"I'm sure about that either," he said. "I think you and I, we're strong persons. Both of us. We proved that in all those difficult situations we had to face already. I think that together you and me are even stronger."

"We are," she agreed with him. "We really are."

Once again Lindsay looked up at Danny, seeing him smiling at her with so much warmth it emphasized what they had just told each other. Both of them were strong. Together they were even stronger. Neither of them had a doubt that they would be happy as a married couple. And that their marriage would work. Because it was their love that was uniting them and if they followed their instinct they would know how to make each other happy.

**Preview: Cliff talks to Flack about a surprise for Jessica. Sid and Dana discuss the wedding. Danny and Lindsay have a conversation about his family.**


	45. Great Ideas And Supporting Words

**Author's note: I know I have said it so many times, but thank you so much for all those lovely reviews and for reading this fic! I checked my fics and this story here is the longest of them with the most reviews. Thank you so much for all the support and I really hope you'll continue reading all the other ideas I have in store for you. And thanks again to the wonderful afrozenheart412, lily moonlight and Hannah554 for suggestions! Special thanks to Hannah554, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, rocksmacked, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight and saturn567!**

**Chapter 45: Great Ideas And Supporting Words**

Early in the morning it was as Cliff was standing at the bar of one of his cafes. Since the day he had opened his first one together with his wife, they had expended a lot and now he owned cafes and restaurants all over New York City. This one though, close to Central Park, was his favourite.

A smile lit his face as Cliff noticed an all too familiar visitor entering the café. Flack smiled at him as he saw him and walked right over to the bar to climb onto one of the bar stools. Like every morning around this time.

"Good morning, Cliff," Flack greeted his girlfriend's father.

"Good morning to you, too, Don," Cliff greeted back. "Coffee with a piece of sugar, like always?"

"Like always." Flack smiled as he watched Cliff doing the wished order. "Jessica isn't working today?"

Cliff shook his head. "Not at this time. She will come later. Thought maybe she might want to sleep in after the dinner party we arranged here last night."

"Oh yes, it was a tiring event," Flack agreed, nodding in agreement as he remembered how his girlfriend had returned home, so tired she had barely managed to walk all the way into the bedroom.

"Maybe...ah, I don't know if that is a good idea," Cliff said, unsure on how to speak out what he was thinking. Looking up at the younger man in front of him, he saw he had caught Flack's attention though.

"What is it, Cliff?" Flack wanted to know.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea in the first place, I was just wondering about something," Cliff replied.

"But obviously you wanted to tell me something," Flack said. "Then go ahead and do that. I would like to know what you wanted to tell me."

Cliff glanced back at Flack for a moment, wondering whether he should do what he had intended to do before or not. Then he decided that maybe a second opinion wouldn't be that bad either.

"I was thinking about opening yet another restaurant," he said then. "Near the harbor."

"Really? That's a great idea," Flack answered, instantly liking the prospect of yet another café like the one he was just sitting in. "Why shouldn't that be a good idea? I know you're famous in this city, everyone would be happy to have yet another place to go to."

Cliff nodded. "I don't have a doubt people would like it. But then having another café also means a lot of more work. Which is why I was wondering about making another decision. And this would affect Jessica."

"Jessica?" Flack's curiosity was increasing. "How do you mean that?"

Once again Cliff thought about how to word his thoughts best. He wanted to try and bring his idea across as understandable and good as possible. "I think you know how much Jessica loves her job and how much she loves to work in this café here especially," he told Flack then.

As the younger man nodded, he continued, "I don't want her to be a waitress like this forever anyways. I want her to move on, to get herself a name. She is a very independent woman, just like her friends. She proved that very well when she decided to be together with you against whatever I might have been thinking."

"I know we shouldn't have been hiding this relationship," Flack admitted, his face flushing.

"It is fine and you know that," Cliff answered with a reassuring smile. "What I want to tell you with that is that I know Jessica wants to do more. And so I was wondering that if I opened this café at the harbor, maybe I could let her lead this one here completely."

Hearing the suggestion of the older man, Flack's eyes widened in surprise. "Does that mean you want this café to be Jessica's alone?"

Cliff nodded. "Yes. This means she could do with it whatever she would like to do. She could decorate it, make her own menu, could hire employers and everything that has to do with that."

"So this café would be completely hers," Flack summed up what Cliff had said.

The older man nodded. "Yes. Do you think that would be a good idea?"

"Do you really have to ask me that?" Flack smiled brightly at the idea; his girlfriend being able to have her own café. "This would be a dream coming true for Jessica."

"Then I should ask her if she wants to lead this café?" Cliff asked.

"Absolutely," Flack answered eagerly. "Do you want me to talk to her about that already or do you want to do it? Would you like it to be a surprise?"

"I think I would like to surprise her with it when everything is set up," Cliff replied. "Do you think that you can keep that as a secret until I can reveal that to her?"

"Of course, you can count on my support," Flack suggested immediately. Just thinking about Jessica being able to have her own café was causing his excitement to increase. It was a wonderful idea and he couldn't wait for the moment his girlfriend would find out.

---------

"Here is your tea," Sid said as he entered his large living room again. A warm smile lit his face as he saw Dana sitting on the living room, glancing into the fire in fireplace. A thoughtful look she had in her eyes and he didn't have to think twice to know what was on his wife's mind.

"Are you thinking about your favourite topic again, my love?" he asked as he joined her on the couch, setting the cups filled with aromatic, steaming tea onto the coffee table in front of them. She turned around to face him and like every time she did so, Sid felt a comfortable warmth to rise inside him.

Clearly Sid could remember how Dana had decided to head back to Montana so many years ago. Still he had the image of her expression in her eyes; disappointment, because instead of getting better, their relationship had gotten worse. To a point where they had been further apart than they had been as they had met for the first time.

But Dana had come back, had apologized for running away and he had taken her back. After the first difficulties, they were back together and he had to admit happier than they had ever been before. Their new honesty was one important part of that.

"What might my favourite topic be?" Dana wanted to know with a smile.

"You're thinking about Danny's and Lindsay's wedding," Sid guessed, the way her smile widened telling him he was right with his suspicion.

"Of course I do," Dana answered. "I'm so happy to see them getting closer and closer to being a married couple as well. I know they will have a wonderful marriage if they keep loving each other the way they do now."

Sid nodded in full agreement. "That is indeed very true. I'm glad Lindsay met a man like Danny who truly loves her and who she loves just as much. I'm glad I didn't make her marry this other man." Inwardly he winced at the thought of Daniel Katums. Still he hadn't gotten over the fact that he hadn't noticed what kind of a man the criminal had been. "They're happy and I'm glad they're making this step."

"Madly in love and wanting nothing else but being a legal couple, being allowed to show their love in public." Dana's smile widened once again. "They remind me of you and me, Sidney."

Sid nodded with a light laughter. Then his face turned serious again. "As much as I want them to feel the way we're feeling for each other now, my hopes are that they won't make the same mistakes we did."

"I don't think they will do that," Dana told him, serious herself now. "I think Lindsay would talk to him if she thought he was neglecting her. She wouldn't wait until she can't handle it anymore and run away then. She would be honest to him immediately."

Sid nodded in a agreement. "I think you might be right here, my love. I also think that Danny wouldn't neglect her in the first place. He loves her so much, he would do everything to make her happy. He wouldn't let work take over; he would make sure to spend as much time with her as possible."

"Yes." Dana was quiet for yet another moment before she continued. "I think those two are handling their relationship a lot better than us. For easy reasons I might think."

"Which reasons might that be?" Sid wanted to know.

"I think the difference is that Danny and Lindsay are listening to their instinct. To what their hearts are telling them," Dana explained. "It's what brought them together, what made them stay together, no matter what anyone would have thought. It's their strong love that is uniting them. And as long as they're listening to their hearts, they won't do what we did. Because they won't keep their thoughts away from one another."

"Maybe we should follow this example as well then," Sid suggested with a soft smile. "Usually it's the children that are following their parents' examples and try to be like them. Maybe you and me should try to act a little more like them. Which certainly will prevent us from doing such mistakes again."

Dana mirrored his smile. "That we will." With that she moved closer and rested her head against his shoulder. Instinctively Sid rested his arm around her waist, holding her close. Together they enjoyed the quiet and the closeness for a moment. They would make sure they wouldn't repeat their mistakes. Their love had brought them back together and they would keep it that way.

---------

It was getting close to evening. Danny and Lindsay were back at their apartment after yet another long and exhausting day. To them it seemed like their own small four walls was some kind of a safe place where they could always go to, no matter how hard and difficult and problem ridden a day had been.

Lindsay was just standing in the kitchen, making dinner. Danny had offered to help but she had almost pushed him out of the room. Not because he couldn't cook; he had been cooking for himself all the time he hadn't had a girlfriend around.

But like she had told him so many times, she enjoyed to do those little works for him. Clearly he could remember how she had once told him how she didn't understand why all those rich people tended to have servants for everything to do in the household. So much she liked to do all that by her own. He assumed that this was also a way of her to rebel against the world she had grown up in; a world that she hadn't enjoyed too much. A lot was hinting that she enjoyed what they had, which wasn't much money-wise, like the fact she had always felt more comfortable at his place and had even moved in with him.

So he wouldn't interfere and let his fiancé cook, the way she wished to. It was a wonderful sight to see her at the stove, wearing a casual blouse and a plain skirt, her long curls bond up in a ponytail. She didn't have to dress up for him; she was beautiful the way she was. No matter what she was wearing. Of course he loved to see her in a long, thin dress, with a feather boa and long gloves. But dressed in a blouse and skirt was just as wonderful to see.

With a smile on his face, Danny decided to allow Lindsay some privacy while she was cooking and headed into the living room. He sighed lightly as his eyes found his desk, filled with a lot of papers, files and folders.

Slowly he made his way over to it, glancing down at the mess for a moment. He knew he had to clean it up one day if he didn't want to get completely confused. Usually he would explain the chaos as his own way of keeping things in order. Now even he had to admit he could barely find anything anymore.

For a moment he glanced over at the living room couch. He could easily sit down now and enjoy the newspaper instead of bothering himself with his desk. Then again this was the perfect moment to actually get it done and with yet another sigh, he reached out and grabbed the first paper he got to touch.

Expecting to be holding one piece of a file he had taken home to work at it outside his office, Danny glanced down at it, just to realise what he was holding was in fact something completely different. He couldn't prevent his heart from beating faster as he read the all too familiar words.

So focussed on the paper, Danny didn't hear how Lindsay joined him in the living room as well. Dinner was finished and she was just about to tell him to come as well. Her mouth closed again though as she caught the expression on her fiance's face. An expression she only knew too good and she didn't have to glance at the paper he was holding to know that this was nothing else but the letter he had received from Adam. The letter that had told him where his family was living. His family that hadn't replied to his letter yet.

Carefully she walked over to him and as she reached him gently linked her arms with his. For a moment she had to think about what women she had grown up around had told her. A man needed space. A woman wasn't supposed to mind a man's business. But Lindsay didn't care; she knew Danny didn't mind any of those rules. He wanted her to be the person she was, and she cared for him and his feelings. No matter what a woman was supposed to do.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.

Danny glanced at her briefly before his attention turned back to the letter. "They still didn't reply," he answered quietly. It was one sentence. The way he spoke it though revealed more than he possibly intended to. She could feel he was having suspicions on why his family hadn't replied yet.

"Don't you think they did that because they don't want to be in contact with you anymore," Lindsay told him with determination. "They sent you to this country to protect you. Because they love you."

"Then why don't they write back?" Danny wanted to know. "I can understand they didn't try to find me. Finding someone in another country without the right connections is difficult, especially after all those rough years of the war. But now they could have send me a letter back. Why didn't they do that?"

"I'm sure they will reply, or did already," Lindsay told him gently, squeezing his arm to emphasize her words. "I'm sure you will hear from them soon. Sending a letter from Europe is complicated and with that long way it has to travel, I'm sure it takes a bit to arrive here."

"Maybe." He didn't seem to be entirely convinced though. He was quiet for a moment before he continued, "I just wish I would hear from them. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could come over for our wedding? I know that is unrealistic; it would be way too expensive for them to come to America by ship. But it would be like a dream coming true, celebrating with both of our families."

She nodded in agreement. "It would be wonderful indeed." Seeing how looking at the letter seemed to upset him more and more though, she gently took the paper from him and pulled him towards the kitchen. "But now let's have a look at what I cooked. I need your opinion about it."

He smiled lightly at her careful change of topic. "Alright. Although I know your dinner will be fabulous again."

Lindsay laughed at his comment as she and Danny headed back into the kitchen. She knew distracting him wasn't that easy and she could fully understand his feelings. She also hoped that they would hear from his family soon. Just a letter would be wonderful already. But even more she hoped that the wish they both shared would come true and they would be able to celebrate their wedding with both of their families.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay meet Sid and Dana for a chat. Flack has to hide Cliff's idea in front of Jessica. Mac and Stella are waiting for some special guests.**


	46. All Those Little Moments

**Author's note: Thank you so very much for those lovely reviews! Huge thanks also for reading! And of course I want to thank lily moonlight for the idea with Cliff's café. I also decided to add another cast member to this fic very soon which will lead to a new pairing. Maybe you can start guessing already. ;) There will of course also be new cases for DL, SMacked and FA. But before that there'll be Danny's and Lindsay's wedding with all of their friends and families. I hope you'll like the storylines. Oh, and I want to send big hugs to all of you SMacked readers who are reviewing this fic; it means incredibly much to me! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Hannah554, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rocksmacked, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, lily moonlight and saturn567!**

**Chapter 46: All Those Little Moments**

It was a sunny Sunday morning. Despite how early it was, Danny and Lindsay were already out and on their way to make a visit. A couple of people were out that early in the morning already, most of them families, dressed in their best Sunday clothes, on their way to New York City's churches.

Danny and Lindsay had other plans though. Sid and Dana had asked them to visit them at their place for lunch together. The women wanted to cook while the men wanted to enjoy some chats, about sports, politics and whatever else would come to their minds. A normal Sunday morning with the family.

Glancing up at Danny, Lindsay smiled lightly. Clearly she could remember how nervous her fiancé had been the first time they had wanted to meet Sid for a dinner party. Days before he had prepared himself for this party, had even asked for help about how to eat properly.

Now he seemed to be even looking forward to the lunch meeting. The two men got along very well. Lindsay knew how much Sid was grateful that she was together with Danny; a man who knew how to treat her and who loved her the way she was. Especially now that Sid was slowly creating a distance between himself and the upper class of New York, the relationship between all of them had eased a lot.

He was a lot more comfortable now; she could feel that from the way he was holding her hand already. He wasn't clenching it with nervousness but seemed to be even feeling well. Lindsay was glad that Danny was slowly believing her that the two of them were perfect together as a couple.

"Are you thinking about something nice?" he asked which caused her to snap back out of her thoughts again. He was smiling down at her, this smile with a hint of teasing in it. A long time ago she had gotten used to the fact that he had a different opinion about how to interact with his soon to be wife than men usually did.

He didn't try to lock her up at home, making sure she would follow all his orders and would take care of dinner and a cold drink that had to be awaiting him after a long day before he either paid some attention to her for fun or ignored her for the rest of the evening. Instead he treated her like she was on his eye level. They were partners, in love. No one of them had to follow orders; their relationship was based on giving and taking.

Apart from that Lindsay knew that Danny was taking her serious. He listened to her opinions and liked to discuss topics with her; again something most men wouldn't do. Usually men met other men for debating. Danny though rather did that with Lindsay, enjoying her points of view a lot.

"Of course I'm thinking about something nice as I have been thinking about you," she answered with a smile.

"You have been thinking about me and that made you smile?" Danny raised his eyebrows playfully, once again in this teasing way she knew would be followed by a comment. "May I know what exactly that was you have been thinking about?"

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with what you are currently having in mind," she replied in a playful stern voice. "I have been thinking about what a wonderful man you are for treating me the way you do."

"I think that is what you do when you love someone," he answered with a soft smile. "You know I don't believe in this when it comes to men and women. Why should I only use the woman I love for doing the household and bearing my children? You are such a smart and interesting person, it would be a shame to not enjoy that."

"Now it would be wonderful if all men would be thinking in a way like this," she replied as she squeezed his hand lightly in an appreciating gesture. "But...you aren't nervous anymore, am I right? You aren't nervous when we are meeting my father?"

"It is getting better," he agreed. It wasn't completely the answer she had wanted to hear though.

"Why is it only getting better?" she wanted to know. "I thought you know that my father loves you, so does my mother. My father's friends like you a lot as well. Everyone does. Why do you still feel hesitant?"

"Maybe it is just an instinct," Danny replied. "I know I might have had prejudices, possibly still have. Sometimes there is still this insecurity I feel when I am around people from the upper class. People who once gave me looks like I was a piece of dirt, if they noticed me at all. Imagining that one day I would be about to marry a woman from the upper class and meet her father for lunch at his penthouse wouldn't have been anything I would have even thought about."

"In all honesty, I never saw myself as a girl from this class either," Lindsay told him. "My parents and I have been living on a farm in Montana for all those years and back then we haven't been rich either. I never completely adjusted to suddenly counting to the upper class. I don't feel myself connected to any of them. And I know my father and mother are feeling the same way. You always tell me that you don't care for the rules men and women have to follow. I don't care for the rules of the classes either."

With relief she saw how a smile lit his face at her words. "Then that is good to know," he told her.

Lindsay nodded. She could understand what Danny was feeling and thinking about this topic. But important was that they would reassure each other that all those rules of society didn't count for them in any way.

--------

Like Lindsay had expected, meeting her father and mother together with Danny again was nice and a lot more relaxing than before. Immediately there was a warmth between all of them that immediately erased every possible awkward feelings. A cup of tea the couples had drunk together before the women had headed into the kitchen and the men had remained in the living room.

"I'm happy that you and Lindsay have agreed to come over to see me and my dear wife for lunch," Sid said as he refilled Danny's cup with new steaming hot tea. "I asked Dana if she would mind us to help them in the kitchen but she threatened me to stay away from the room as far as even possible."

Danny chuckled. "Lindsay also doesn't enjoy when I'm trying to help her cook although I have a lot of experience with cooking myself. She enjoys doing it herself though."

Sid smiled. "This is just what I get to hear myself. But then I have to admit those two are wonderful with cooking so I'm quite grateful they enjoy doing it so much."

Danny nodded. "I fully agree with you," he said.

While the men continued their chat, Lindsay and Dana exchanged an amused smile at the bits of conversation they could hear from Danny and Sid.

"Believe me when I tell you that Sidney isn't that wonderful with cooking," Dana said with a wink.

Lindsay laughed. "I have to agree with you about that, Mom. Danny is being honest though. He is a very good cook. He learnt a lot during the time he has been working for Cliff Angell. Even if he doesn't want to mention those times."

"I see." Dana nodded in understanding while she filled hers and Lindsay's cups with tea as well, wanting to have yet another few moments before they would start to work. "I hope he believes you and all of us that he should be proud of himself. He got help, but still it was him who got himself to where he is now, from having nothing to the man he is now. It is something not many people would be able to make happen. He can be proud of that."

"I know and I try to explain that to him nearly every day," Lindsay answered. "But then that is my job as his soon to be wife. I only hope I will be a good wife for him like I know he will be a good husband for me."

"You will be a wonderful wife, my dear," Dana told her daughter, offering a warm smile as she reached out to give Lindsay's shoulder a squeeze. "I know you two will handle your marriage a lot better than your father and I did. Make sure you and Danny show each other your love as much as you can and don't let stress control your relationship. Of course life can be very stressful, but after all you two have to make sure you stay happy like you're now and show each other love and support in every possible way. Listen to your instinct. It was what brought you two together. Then I don't have a doubt your marriage will work just fine."

Lindsay smiled at Dana's words. "We will keep that in mind."

With that the two women continued enjoying their tea as they listened to the men next door. Danny and Lindsay had had those conversations a lot as well. They were determined to make sure they would work on their relationship and be open to each other. Of course there were moments in which they got nervous. But deep inside both of them knew how perfect they were for each other.

--------

When Cliff had told Flack that he wanted to hand one of the cafes over to Jessica so she could lead it herself, the younger man had been very excited for his girlfriend. Flack knew how much Jessica was dreaming of having an own café or restaurant one day, or possibly even combine both of that.

It would be a wonderful experience for the young woman and Flack could understand Cliff wanted to keep this decision a secret until everything was sorted out. This meant though that he had to keep his knowledge hidden as well. And Flack wasn't good with keeping something wonderful like that hidden. Especially when his girlfriend seemed to have the gift to read his mind.

Like every Sunday morning, Flack and Jessica were enjoying breakfast together. She had made it for them and like usually, he couldn't get enough of it. Clearly Flack could remember how he had eaten a meal she had cooked for him alone for the first time. It had been the best food he had ever eaten and he would have even admitted she was a better cook than his mother. Which meant a lot.

"This breakfast...it is too good for words again," he told her as he took another deep sip of his coffee; coffee that tasted even better than the one he got to drink at the café. He was amazed by how much love one could add to something simple like breakfast. Every piece of toast, every cup of coffee seemed to announce those deep feelings the young woman had for her boyfriend. It was a realisation that never failed to fill him with an undescribable warmth.

"I'm happy you like it," Jessica answered, offering him a light smile. It failed to hide the tone in her voice though and in confusion, Flack looked up from his newspaper again to meet his girlfriend's eyes. The look he got to see in them he didn't like at all.

"Is something wrong with you?" he asked concerned, dropping the newspaper to the table and turning his full attention to the woman in front of him.

Jessica shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I'm just wondering why you're hiding something in front of me. I thought we wanted to be honest to each other."

Hearing her response, Flack wasn't sure whether he should be relieved by her answer or not. If he was honest to himself, he wasn't too surprised about the fact she had noticed he was hiding something. That this knowledge was bothering her though he didn't like.

"I'm not hiding anything bad in front of you if that is what you're thinking," Flack explained then. "Really. It's...a secret though. A good one. A surprise, to be more exact. I'm sorry, I would love to tell you what it is, but I promised to not do so."

"Who did you promise it to?" Jessica wanted to know. She relaxed visibly as she believed him to his relief. But still he could sense her curiosity.

"I cannot tell you yet, I promised not to say a word," he said then, as difficult as it was for him. Reaching across the table, he took Jessica's hands into his, gently holding them in a loving grip. "I know you would like to know more but this surprise is supposed to be for you. I promised to not say a word. Try to believe me that waiting for it will be worth it."

Jessica glanced back at him as if she was debating whether she should stop her little interrogation or not. Then she released a deep sigh, a soft smile tearing at the corners of her mouth. "Fine. I will wait then. But the surprise better is good indeed."

Flack smiled himself. "It will be, I promise. So...may I have another cup of this wonderful coffee?"

While Jessica filled his cup, still with a smile on her face, Flack watched her closely. He could imagine what kind of thoughts were running through her mind and he was grateful she had stopped questioning him so easily. Hiding something in front of her was difficult, but he knew it would be worth it.

--------

For around an hour, Mac and Stella were standing at the harbor, close to the water at right the place they had been told to go to the day before. Both of them holding hands, they tried to ease each other's excitement with the closeness they shared. They weren't at this place for a nice walk or for sightseeing. They had come to the harbor because of a special event. A special event that caused their excitement to increase with every passing moment.

"I still can't believe everything is working so perfectly," Stella said after a while, glancing at Mac. A smile lit her face at the expression she got to see in his eyes. He was just as excited as her. And happy. Just like her. He turned to face her and a smile lit his face as well.

"I'm glad about it. I'm glad Dr. Hammerback and Adam helped me. And that you did as well," he answered.

Stella's smile widened. "Of course I did." Reaching into the small pocket of her long skirt, she fished her golden clock out of it. "And from what I see here, our guests from Europe should arrive every moment."

"It seems like you're right with that," Mac agreed with a nod towards the harbor.

Concentrating, Stella stared into the direction Mac had pointed at. It took her just a moment, then her eyes widened in joy. In the distance she could see it already, the ship they were waiting for. The ship that would bring some special guests from a country so far away. Special guests that were supposed to be a surprise for two of their closest friends. And once again both felt their excitement increase at the prospect of the moment those arrivals would meet their friends.

**Preview: Mac calls Danny and Lindsay to come and meet him and Stella. There they will find out about the surprise.**


	47. The Magic Of Surprises

**Author's note: First of all, I'm sorry because it took me so long to update again, but there's been so much going on because I'm moving into my first own apartment soon. Here is a new update for you now! :) Thanks so much for those amazing, lovely and great reviews and also thanks to everyone for reading! Special thanks to rocksmacked, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554 and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 47: The Magic Of Surprises**

A couple of hours ago, Cliff had arrived at the café. He liked to open all this cafes and restaurants by himself in the morning; it was a tradition he enjoyed a lot. This time the café had been his last stop and so he had stayed to wait for his daughter to arrive.

A smile lit Cliff's face as Jessica arrived; like always in time. He found her offering him a smile and a quick hello as well as she quickly walked past him into the back of the café to change. Everything in her actions was telling him what he already knew; his daughter loved her job, especially in this certain café. He knew there were a couple of reasons for that. It was the place all her friends came to. It was also the place where she had met Flack for the first time.

When Cliff had decided he wanted yet another café, he had been aware of the fact that he needed to back off from what else he was doing if he wanted this café at the harbor to be as successful as the others. Letting someone lead one of his cafes or restaurants would be the best solutions.

And so he had decided he wanted Jessica to lead this one café at Central Park; her favourite café. Never it had been a question for him that his daughter would be able to lead a café on her own. His worry was that he was pushing her into something she wasn't ready for with his request.

"Good morning, Dad," Jessica greeted as she returned, dressed in her uniform now.

"Good morning, Jessica," he greeted her back with a smile. "Are you ready for yet another shift at one of our most popular cafes?"

Jessica chuckled. "It's the most popular café for a reason! It has the perfect location and it's just the most wonderful place I myself could imagine to go to."

"You really like to work here, don't you?" Cliff asked.

Jessica nodded eagerly. "It is a wonderful place and I couldn't imagine a more wonderful café to work at. But I think I better get working now as just someone else arrived who might want to enjoy this place as well."

Giving him another smile, Jessica made her way over to the table where just another guest had sat down. Cliff watched her, still with a smile spread across his face. Had he had doubts before, slowly those were disappearing completely. Like Flack had told him, she would love his idea.

--------

It was afternoon as Danny and Lindsay arrived at home again. The lunch had lasted longer than they had expected as chatting had led to other chats and soon the hours had passed without anyone noticing.

For Lindsay, this lunch once again had shown how much people could change with the time. Not too long ago, a meeting with her family would have been a huge event for Danny and he would have been nervous for weeks before the actual visit. This lunch meeting he had obviously enjoyed and only for the first few minutes she had felt the old tension inside him before he had relaxed visibly.

"I have to admit as much as I enjoyed this lunch party," Danny said then as if he had read her mind. He closed the door behind them and followed Lindsay into their living room. "I'm getting tired I think. It's amazing me how eating can make you tired."

Lindsay chuckled. "I think if someone eats as much as you, it's no surprise it's making you tired. It's like a sport of its own."

Danny blushed at her words. "Did I eat so much?"

"Not more than my father," she laughed. "You might also like to know that women want to see their partners eat the food they're cooking. It's nothing worse than a man not enjoying it and eating nothing."

Danny laughed as well. "With a talented cook like you, my dear, this won't ever happen." Gently he took her hand and pulled her with him into the bedroom. With a sigh he let himself fall onto the bed, with a satisfied smile at the fact he didn't have to walk around any longer. Amused, Lindsay crawled onto the bed as well and lay down next to him. For a couple of minutes they lay there, no one of them speaking a word. It was a relaxing silence and once again it amazed her to feel the soft connection between them.

"It seems like your parents are happy with one another," Danny said then. He turned onto his side so he could face Lindsay.

"Yes, they seem to be very happy," she agreed and instantly a smile lit her face at his words. "I remember they have been like that in the past. I was very young back then, so I don't remember much of it. But during times when the harvest went fine and we knew we had enough money and when Mom and Dad didn't have to work for a day, they were acting like this. They were so happy and friendly. Those are the days I like to think of the most." Her cheeks flushed as she saw the warm smile he was offering at her words. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Danny asked in surprise.

"I'm sorry because of talking so much," she answered. "Especially for talking so much about my family."

"You're never talking too much and you know that I enjoy listening to you," he replied, gently resting a hand on top of one of hers. "It was also me who started the conversation about your family so don't you feel sorry for talking about them. I know how much your father and mother mean to you and how much you missed to have an intact family over all the years while you have been living here with your father and your mother has been living in Montana. Your family is reunited and if I was you I would be talking about that all day."

Lindsay chuckled at his words, giving him a grateful nod. She knew he understood her feelings and her relief that now her parents got back together in a loving relationship instead of getting divorced like she had always been afraid of. Sid and Dana had sorted out what had been separating them and it was a big relief to see them back to their former closeness. Even more grateful she was to have both parents living in the same city like her now.

"I also don't want you to keep yourself from talking about your family because you don't want to remind me of mine," he added then. Danny gave her a smile, but the expression in his eyes once again told Lindsay more. Instinctively she moved closer, gently allowing a hand to run through his short hair.

"I'm certain that your family will contact you soon as I believe the transfer of letters isn't as easy as we wish it was," she told him softly.

Danny shrugged. He tried to give her a brave smile but he didn't managed to convince her. "I think it is there decision if they want to contact me or if they not want to do so. I will accept this."

"Of course they want to contact you! I don't have a doubt about that," Lindsay answered.

"I would be happy if we didn't talk about that now," he told her softly. Once again he tried to smile, this time more successful than before. "I have a beautiful fiancé, so I'm happy."

"On this I agree with you," Lindsay answered. She squealed as he reached out suddenly and before she could react turned her onto her back and pinned her into the mattress. "Mr. Messer, I really don't believe that this is an appropriate behaviour for a non-married man."

Relieved she found him grin now. Such a comment never failed to work.

"Is that so?" he asked with a wink as he bent down to her to kiss her. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She shuddered as the length of his body was pressed against hers and the kiss deepened. Almost disappointed she was as he pulled back again, just to give her another smirk. "Doesn't seem like the lady is complaining about inappropriate behaviour."

Lindsay chuckled as she let her hands run over his chest, enjoying the way she shuddered lightly at the loving touches. "I won't try and imagine what my father's so called friends would think if they knew that I haven't been waiting with this until the day of our wedding."

"I don't know how any of those friends would find out about what you and me are doing inside our own four walls," he said with his smirk widening. "Also I didn't forget how this relationship between us started."

Despite herself, Lindsay's face flushed bright red at his words. She hadn't forgotten either. Clearly she could remember how nervous she had been as she had been waiting at the office of the young private investigator for the first time. And how soon she had realised that not all men were like her previous fiancé, Daniel Katums. He had shown her all the attention and protection she had needed. And he had affected in ways she had never imagined before.

This closeness that had rapidly been building up between them had led to an intense and passionate encounter between them at his office; the start of their relationship. Months ago this had happened and still both of them could remember every moment of it.

"I think our relationship has been special from the very start," she said then.

"That is very true indeed," Danny agreed as he ran his fingers over her reddened cheeks. Once again he bent down to kiss her, once again causing those warm shivers to run through her body.

It was then that a familiar loud and shrill sound echoed through the apartment, causing both of them to stop in their movements. For a moment they shared a glance before Danny groaned in annoyance and got up to answer his telephone. Lindsay followed him into the living room. The sound of the phone was very familiar to her already and many times it had been used in the most different situations. She hoped that this time the caller had good news for them.

"Hello?" Danny greeted the person at the other end, not bothering to introduce himself. A smile lit his face at the caller. "Hello Mac. I didn't expect you to call me now... No, it's alright, you know you can always disturb us when you need something."

Then he listened to the telephone for a while. Closely Lindsay watched Danny's expression, trying to find any hints about the content of the conversation. His face stayed serious though, a curious expression in his eyes.

"Alright, Mac, we'll come over to see you and Stella," he said then and hung up.

"Did Mac ask us to come over?" Lindsay asked as he turned back to her.

Danny nodded. "Yes. He said that he has something he wants to show to me. To us. And if we could come over now."

"That sounds almost mysterious to me," Lindsay replied.

"Yes," he agreed. "So maybe we better head over to them and see what it is. We can continue where we stopped later I think? Although..."

"We can continue it later," Lindsay answered with a wink. "Now let's see what secret Mac has for us."

"Fine then," Danny said with a playful sigh.

Together the couple got dressed completely again before they headed to visit their friends.

--------

Around half an hour after the phone call, Danny and Lindsay arrived at Mac's apartment. Mac hadn't told Danny why he wanted him and Lindsay to come over. He couldn't deny the nervousness that was rising inside him.

For years now, Danny knew Mac. He knew how to read his boss's actions and the way the man's voice had sounded had caused his suspicion to rise. There was something his friend was hiding; something big. And he couldn't help but think whatever secret that was had to do with him.

"Hello you two," Mac greeted as he opened the door, offering his arrivals a friendly smile. "I'm glad you managed to come over so quickly. I hope I really didn't disturb you with my phone call."

"No, it was fine, like Danny said, you can always call us," Lindsay answered, throwing a short knowing glance at her partner.

Danny nodded as they followed Mac into the apartment. To every other person, Mac would have seemed to be like usually. Anyway he didn't miss the fact that his boss was trying hard to hide something; another hint that showed him his suspicion was right.

Like expected, Stella was there as well. Not like usually though, the woman was standing in the middle of the room, having just the same suspicious and almost nervous expression as she greeted them.

"Would you like to sit down maybe?" she asked, pointing at the living room couches. "Maybe for a cup of tea?" The tension in the room seemed to increase with every passing second.

"I don't want to be rude," Danny replied. He knew the couple good enough to know they were just trying to ease the tension; something that wouldn't work. Briefly he glanced at Lindsay, seeing in her eyes that she was feeling the same way. "I know you told us to come here for a reason and I think talking around that won't lead us to anything. Maybe we concentrate on the reason why we had to come here that suddenly before we spend some time with a cup of tea."

Mac and Stella exchanged a short glance before his friend nodded.

"Alright, Danny," Mac said then. "I told you and Lindsay to come over to visit Stella and me because we have arranged a little surprise for you. This is more of a wedding present for you two and usually it would make more sense to wait with such a present until the actual event. But as the surprise arrived sooner, we agreed that we should show it to you already."

"A wedding present?" Lindsay looked at the couple in surprise. "By you two?"

Stella nodded with a smile. "Actually it was arranged by Mac and Adam."

"And where is it?" Danny wanted to know. He had had a suspicion that there was a secret his friends were hiding. That they were about to give them their first wedding present even before the wedding itself he hadn't expected. His curiosity was increasing and he could barely prevent himself from searching for it already.

"If you two would follow me, please," Mac said, heading over to the door they knew the bedroom was behind.

The couple followed him, instinctively taking each other's hands. They had no idea of what kind of present could be hidden in there. Both of them agreed their excitement was getting to a point where they could barely control it.

Mac opened the door before he turned back to his friends, offering them a warm smile as he stepped aside.

Danny and Lindsay walked closer until they could look into the bedroom. They hadn't had any idea of what could have been planned by Mac, Adam and Stella as they had heard their wedding present was awaiting them in this room. What they got to see then though was more of a surprise than any of them could have ever expected.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay meet his family.**


	48. Family Reunion

**Author's note: Thank you so very much for those encouraging and lovely reviews from you! Thanks so much also to everyone who is taking the time to read this fic! I can't tell you how excited I am that you're still enjoying it! Special thanks to rocksmacked, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Hannah554, jennifer32485, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked and Storywriter!**

**Chapter 48: Family Reunion**

Standing at the door, Danny and Lindsay were staring at the four people who they had gotten to face as they had stepped into Mac's and Stella's bedroom. Never before Lindsay had seen them, but one look at Danny was enough for her to understand who those people were. With his face pale in surprise, he was staring at them in disbelief, his expression revealing he didn't understand what his eyes were seeing.

In front of her she found a woman and a man, around her father's and mother's age; a married couple she assumed. Then there were two other women; one could have been her grandmother, the other was around her own age.

"Daniel!" the wife of the man exclaimed as tears started to stream down her face.

"Ma," he whispered as he made his way over to her. He was crying himself as his mother closed him into her arms. Now the others got into motion as well and soon all family members were embracing.

For a moment Lindsay watched the scene with a smile on her face before she quietly made her way out of the bedroom again where Mac and Stella were waiting. Carefully she closed the door and turned around, the first tears glistering in her eyes as well.

"You invited his family," she said in amazement.

Mac and Stella exchanged a glance once again, both of them smiling happily. Mac nodded as Stella embraced Lindsay tightly.

"I know how much Danny has been wishing to meet his family again after all those years," he told her. "So I talked to Adam again and we decided we want to make it possible for them. Even your father is involved, he paid the tickets so they could come over."

"My father knows about that as well?" Lindsay asked surprised. "He never gave me any hint that could indicate he knew something like that."

Mac's smile widened. "It was supposed to be a surprise for you two. A wedding surprise. I was hoping to get them over for the wedding as I believed they would like to see their son marrying his great love. Adam managed to contact them as it seems like Danny's letter didn't arrive. They agreed immediately to come and visit him, they were even willing to pay for the tickets themselves. But as this would have cost all their money, your father offered to pay for them."

"Exactly, and earlier today they finally arrived here," Stella continued. "They were so excited already, Mac and I could barely prevent them from going to look for him. We were really excited as we saw they all came over; his mother, his father, his grandmother and his sister Aiden. His uncle and his brother should arrive here for the wedding as well but currently they're still in the warmer states in the south."

For a moment Lindsay tensed at the mention of Danny's uncle and brother. It didn't stay unnoticed to Stella who once again rested her arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asked.

Lindsay nodded. "I'm just not sure how to feel about his uncle in particular. I know his brother was still a child, but his uncle shouldn't have left a young boy alone in the streets of New York. Thanks to his strength and strong will Danny got to where he is at now with this job and his belongings. I know his uncle did that because they had no money anymore and only two tickets for a train, but couldn't he have found another way than leaving him here? I know Danny excuses it and doesn't blame him, but as much as I try, I can't see it like him."

Once again Stella looked up at Mac who seemed to agree with what she was thinking. "I can understand you, Lindsay," she said then. "I've not thought about that yet. I also don't know the entire story about what exactly has happened in the past. But it was a hard challenge a young boy in his age shouldn't have to face, especially when he was brought to this country for protection."

"His family had the best intentions," Lindsay replied and again a smile lit her face. "I...can only imagine how he's feeling now! I remember how I felt when my mother sent me a letter after all those years and how she decided to come back to New York. I was so excited, I couldn't believe it! But Danny didn't see his family for such a long time and he had no idea where they were. He didn't even know if they were alright. I know how amazed he was when we managed to find them. He's been hoping so much that they would respond to his letter and he was so disappointed when they didn't. And now they're even here."

Mac nodded. "And how are you feeling about that?" he wanted to know.

Lindsay's smile widened at his question. "I think this is such a wonderful idea, really," she answered in awe. "Like I said, I can only imagine how happy he is now. You made one of his biggest wishes come true. He is a family man, I can clearly feel that. Having his family here is the most wonderful surprise you could have made for him."

With that Lindsay glanced back at the bedroom door, knowing that Danny was still in there, talking to his family now. Even through the door she could sense his excitement and it was making her happy as well.

--------

For minutes the family was holding each other tightly, all of them overwhelmed by the reuniting after all those years they hadn't seen each other, hadn't even heard about each other.

Danny wasn't able to understand what he was feeling as he was embraced by the family members he hadn't seen ever since he had left Italy to move to America. Anyway the years hadn't changed what he had hoped would always be there; a connection that was uniting them, no matter for how many years they had been apart, no matter how many miles had been separating them.

Ages seemed to have passed and many tears of joy had been cried as the family members let each other go and moved over to the bed to sit down. Still another couple of minutes passed until they gained the ability to speak back.

"How...how is that possible?" Danny managed to ask then. "You're here...all of the sudden. I...didn't even know you still wanted to have anything to do with me."

"Oh Daniel, how could you believe that?" his father asked in disbelief as he wiped his eyes dry again. "Don't you dare to believe we didn't miss you every day ever since the moment you have entered the ship together with your brother and uncle and we didn't know whether you would be safe and when we would be able to see you again."

His grandmother nodded in agreement. "And even worse it was as your uncle told us he had moved and that you had stayed alone in this big city. All those years we were worried where you were and we tried to find you but it wasn't possible from over there."

Those answers he was receiving from his family now filled Danny with a relief he had been longing for for so many years. Always he had wondered whether his family was still caring for him, if they had ever tried to contact him. He had assumed for them it had been difficult to find him but he couldn't have been sure. Now he was getting the confirmation he had needed so badly.

"I was so worried you might have forgotten about me," he whispered as new tears started to rise. He had been still a child as he had had to move. His family couldn't know which dangers he had to face, how he had lived in an alley with owning nothing but the clothes he wore, with not knowing whether he would get enough food for the next day. So many times he had wished to be back home with his family. So much he had hoped they would ask him to come back.

This time had made him stronger and like Lindsay had told him, it had made Danny be the man he was now. Still his wish had been to know about his family, but his fear to find out what he didn't want to know had prevented him from taking further steps.

"As if we could!" his sister Aiden exclaimed as she embraced him once again. "All the time we have been thinking of you, we even saved money all those years to visit you wherever you would be."

His mother nodded. "Yes, but then the friendly Mr Taylor and Mr Ross contacted us and asked us if we would like to see you again as you were still in New York and that you were about to marry. Those news have been what we have been waiting for all those years and you can't imagine how we have been celebrating."

His father smiled at him warmly. "Indeed, your Ma has cooked us the best dinner she ever did. All our prayers had been heard as we realised you have found a home and friends and obviously a dear wife as well. Mr Taylor also let us know that a certain Dr Hammerback would pay our tickets as he is the bride's father and wanted to add to the surprise. He wished us to take the offer. The doctor also sent us a message, a really friendly man."

Still with teary eyes, Danny smiled brightly at his father's words. "I didn't expect them all to do this together for us. For me and my fiancé."

"We're glad they did," Danny's grandmother said. Near tears were rolling down her cheeks. The room was filled with emotions that were almost overwhelming the freshly reunited family. "But...there is so much you need to tell us. And we might have to tell you. So much has happened over all those years. Mr Taylor told us that you're working as a private investigator?"

Danny nodded. "Yes, this way I also got to meet Lindsay, my fiancé."

"Lindsay, what a beautiful name," his mother said with a warm smile. "My wishes always were that here in America you would find loving friends and a woman who could make you happy."

"She makes me happy, more than anything or anyone," Danny replied with his smile widening. Once again excitement was rising inside him. There was indeed so much they had to talk about. He knew he would be hesitant if they would like to know more about his past in the city. But still there was a lot he wanted them to know, just as much as he wanted to know everything that had been happening back home in Italy.

"The young woman who just was in here with you, was that her?" Aiden asked then, interrupting him in his thoughts.

"Yes, that was my Lindsay, I think she went back into the living room to be there with Mac and Stella," Danny answered. He paused for a moment before he added, "Would you like me to ask her to come in? So you can meet my fiancé and get to know her as well?"

"We would love to be introduced to her," his mother said with her smile widening.

Danny nodded. He got up, noticing how his legs were shaking; he hadn't even realised how nervous and emotional he really was. Slowly he made his way over to the bedroom door and opened it, greeted by Mac, Stella and Lindsay jumping up from the living room couch. Still with shaky legs, he made his way back into the room.

"Thanks to you my family managed to come and visit me?" Danny asked. His voice was shaking lightly due to his strong emotions.

"Mac and Adam arranged it all, with the help of Sid," Stella answered.

"How can I ever thank you for that?" he wanted to know. Gratefully he wrapped his arms around Lindsay as she snuggled against him.

"I think you answered that question as you told me how to thank you when I asked you the same after you proved my innocence," Mac answered with a wink. "You don't have to thank me as this is what friends do for each other."

Danny's smile widened as happiness filled his heart at the realisation that indeed one of his family's biggest wishes had come true. He had people around him who loved him. And who would do everything for him. Turning to Lindsay, he found her watching him with curiosity and excitement, longing to find out more.

"My family would like to meet you," he told her then.

Her smile widened. "Then let's get back in there because I want to meet them as well."

Still with a smile, Danny bent down to her and kissed Lindsay. Together they headed back into the bedroom. There was so much more the family members had to talk about. And now they could do it. Thanks to their friends' surprise.

**Preview: Danny introduces Lindsay to his family. A party will be arranged.**


	49. Relief

**Author's note: Thanks so much to all of you for the sweet feedback! And of course thanks for reading! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, sucker-4-SMacked, lily moonlight, Hannah554, SMacked Hard, rocksmacked and Storywriter (special thanks for reviewing all the chapters!!!)!**

**Chapter 49: Relief**

Her heart was beating faster with excitement as Lindsay followed Danny back into Mac's bedroom. She had seen his family members already, hadn't spoken a word to them yet though. She knew they were aware of the fact that she was supposed to marry him and she wondered what his family would think of her. It was a moment that reminded her of what he had to face before; meeting the family for the first time as an official couple.

Feeling how his hand was tightly holding hers, she knew he wasn't feeling any different than her, for other reasons though. From own experience Lindsay could tell how it had felt like to meet her mother again after she had been living in Montana for so many years. Danny though had just met his entire family again, after a very long time of being apart from all of them, having to grow up all by his own.

Together, the couple made their way inside the room again where the four family members were eagerly awaiting them. Still Danny was holding Lindsay's hand tightly as he closed the door, giving them the needed privacy.

"This is Lindsay Monroe, my fiancé and soon my wife," he announced, hardly able to control the emotions in his voice. "Lindsay, let me introduce my family to you. This is Alessandro Messer, my father. This is Sofia Messer, my mother. This is Aiden, my sister. And this is Elena, my grandmother."

His voice was shaking lightly as he spoke and she could feel he was grateful as he could stop again. The storm of emotions he was supposed to handle right now was close to overwhelming him. So she refused to let go of his hand, even while she was embraced by every single family member before the couple sat down across of them.

"For such a long time we've been waiting for this moment to happen," Elena said, wiping away the tears that were rising once again. "But we're glad to see you've made something that wonderful out of this move."

Danny glanced at Lindsay for a moment, his look telling her all she needed to know. No one of his family members knew that if he hadn't been such a fighter, he wouldn't have gotten the chance to become a private investigator and her fiancé. This wasn't the moment to talk about such a painful story of his past; the family had just been reunited, the rest could be told later. With a silent nod she signalled him she had understood.

"I'm glad about that myself, Nonna," he replied. "And that you all managed to come over for my wedding. I couldn't think of a more wonderful present."

"Of course we had to come over when we received the message from your friends," Alessandro said. "We would have come to visit you a lot earlier or at least would have sent you letters if we had had the chance to do so."

Danny nodded and once again Lindsay felt how his hand tightened around hers. He had been worried a lot during the last couple of weeks while he had been wondering whether his family members would reply to his letter or not and as there had been no reply, he had wondered if they were still interested in contacting him. Now he was getting all the answers for those questions that had been spinning in his mind and she could only imagine what a relief this meant for him.

"And of course never we would have missed the chance to meet the woman you're in love with," Sofia added. She turned her attention to Lindsay. "My dear, I'm so glad to meet you. I don't need to hear a word to see the love that's uniting you two. I think there is so much we all need to talk about. How you two met, how you fell in love. Even though I didn't know what my son was doing over here, I was always praying that he would find someone who could give him the love we couldn't give him over all those years we have been apart. He has been still a child as we had to send him over to this country, so many miles away. I've never been too happy about our decision to send my boys away from home."

Sofia's voice trailed off as new tears started to fall. Alessandro gently rested his arm around her shoulders, holding her closer.

"You did it to protect us. There weren't many options you had," Danny answered. Glancing up at him, Lindsay could see tears glistering in his eyes as well; tears at the love he was receiving but also tears at the rising memories.

"I think now that you're here there is a lot of time for all of us to exchange all those stories and catch up on so many things," she said.

"And we will," Alessandro replied determined.

Once again Lindsay looked up at Danny, to her relief seeing how he smiled at his father's words. She didn't know how long his family would stay before they would head back to Italy. But they would use the chance to get to know each other better again and she knew that there wouldn't have been any better present for him.

--------

"Did you cook that?" Flack asked as he looked up at Jessica who was sitting in front of him. Like usually around this time, he was at their favourite café, his girlfriend had just served him a plate filled with different kinds of pasta. For minutes he had been eating in silence and awe, watched by an amused Jessica.

She nodded. "Of course I did. After all who knows your taste better than me?"

Flack grinned. "You know me very good indeed, Jessica. That is why I love you so much. You know me almost as good as I know myself I guess."

Jessica laughed. "I think I know you better that you know yourself. I'm glad to see you like what I cooked for you."

"Like? No, I don't like it, I love it," Flack replied with determination.

Jessica chuckled at his words, nodding. "Fine, I'm happy you love it then."

To focussed on each other, the couple didn't hear how the telephone rang and Cliff answered it. They didn't even notice the man approaching them until he stood next to their table.

"I just received a phone call that might interest you two," he said, causing the couple to look up at him.

"What is it?" Jessica wanted to know.

"Mac Taylor just called me," Cliff answered. "He told me that Danny and Lindsay received an early wedding present already."

"An early wedding present?" Flack asked, in his curiosity even forgetting about his food.

Cliff nodded. "Yes. Together with the help of Adam Ross and Dr Hammerback, he arranged that Danny's family from Italy could come over for the wedding and stay in New York."

"Are you serious?" Jessica stared at her father in disbelief. "They're here? Oh, that is...amazing! You know how much he has been longing for meeting them since...ever."

"I think for Danny and Lindsay this is the best present ever," Flack agreed.

"Absolutely," Jessica said. "I think that's something we all should celebrate. Maybe...maybe we should arrange a party for all of us? Together with his family. This way we could also get to know the already." She looked at her father. "What do you think?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Cliff answered. "And as it's your idea, why don't you arrange this party? You can use this café, do whatever you'd like to do."

Jessica's eyes started to sparkle. "Oh, thank you. That'll be such a wonderful party. I have so many ideas already!"

She didn't see how Flack looked up at Cliff who smiled. The two men didn't have to say a word to understand what the other was thinking. If Jessica did well with this party, they would be one step closer to announce she would be leading a whole café by herself soon.

--------

What had started as a family reunition soon extended into an hours lasting conversation between all family members, Danny, Lindsay and soon also Mac and Stella. Still there was so much unspoken, but after the long and exhausting journey, the Messer family needed some rest and so Danny and Lindsay had taken them to an apartment Sid had arranged for them in his apartment building.

To allow the family some time to rest and after visiting Sid to thank him for the surprise, the couple had decided to head back to their own place. No word was spoken on their way as they were walking down the streets, holding hands tightly like they had done for most of the day.

Still Lindsay could feel the tension inside Danny and his excitement, mixed with so many more overwhelming emotions. A while now she had allowed him to be by his own with his thoughts. But knowing him good enough now, she could feel his wish to share his thoughts with her increasing.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked him then. They had just arrived Central Park. The sun was slowly setting which meant barely any people were walking along the park anymore. It gave them the needed privacy.

"I don't know actually," Danny answered honestly. "I...think I still can't believe it."

"That doesn't surprise me." Gently, Lindsay led him over to a near bench from where they had a nice view at one of the lakes. The late evening sun was glistering in the water like a piece of gold. Once again she allowed him a moment of silence before she added, "I can only imagine how you're feeling. I was so excited when my mother arrived here. But how does this feel for you? How is it to see your family again after so many years?"

She looked up at Danny, once again reading in his eyes what he was feeling as his hand once again tightened around hers. "It's overwhelming," he answered then, again with a shaking voice. "It was painful when I had to move. I was really almost still a child back then. All those years I've been wondering what they were doing and if they were still thinking of me. I think many times I've believed they didn't really care for me anymore. We've been apart for too many years."

"I think you can be apart for decades; it doesn't change what you're feeling for the ones you love," Lindsay replied softly. "You've been through a lot over all those years. You had to fight very hard to get to where you're now. But no matter what you had to face, your family always stayed in your heart. So did your love for them."

She felt a lump in her throat as she saw the first tears rolling down his cheeks; tears that were joined by a light smile as he looked at her. "This is so true and I can't find words for how glad I am that they're feeling like that as well. I think my biggest fear was that they simply forgot about me while I've been here all by my own, struggling so hard. But they didn't. They didn't forget me. They still love me. It doesn't even matter I've been away for so many years. It...it still feels the same, you know? I remember how it felt back then when my parents embraced me before I went to bed and read a story to me and my brother. I know how I felt back then. And...the feeling is still there. It came back immediately. There was nothing awkward about meeting them. It was like I've just seen them yesterday."

"I know what you mean," Lindsay replied. She had own tears in her eyes as she moved closer, wrapping her arms around him. "It's good you got all those answers now. That you know they've been thinking of you all the time. Will you tell them how your past in this city has really been though?"

He was quiet for a moment, thinking about his answer before he shrugged. "I'm not sure actually," he answered. "I don't want them to feel even worse because they sent me away, but we all know they did it to protect me and it's fact what happened back then. Then again...maybe it would be even good for them to know that I managed to do all that." He paused for a moment and as she looked up at him, she found him blushing lightly. "This might sound bold, but...when I think back...I think I'm quite proud of what I managed to do. Even though I was still so young."

Hearing those words she had been waiting for such a long time, Lindsay felt pride rushing through her; pride for the man sitting next to her. So many times she had tried to reassure Danny that he shouldn't try to hide his past but be proud of it.

"It doesn't sound bold at all," she said quietly and kissed him onto his cheek. "It is about time you finally see it like that. I'm so proud of you that you understood it."

He smiled back at her and kissed her as well. "I think then I have to be proud of you as well. Because thanks to you I'm the way I'm now. And thinking about myself the way I do now. Because of all the times you reassured me that I should be proud of myself."

With her smile widening, Lindsay snuggled closer against Danny, enjoying how he closed his arms around her as well in a gentle embrace. They could be proud of themselves, both of them agreed on that and they would make sure to remind each other of that.

**Preview: The day of the party; the families and friends celebrate together.**


	50. Like A Big Family

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for the lovely reviews! Huge thanks also for reading! And thanks to lily moonlight for the idea with the café! Special thanks to rocksmacked, SMacked Hard, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight, jennifer32485 and Storywriter (wow, thanks for reviewing almost all the chapters)!**

**Chapter 50: Like A Big Family**

A couple of days Jessica had had to arrange the party to celebrate the arrivals from Italy. In excitement she had eagerly taken care of everything. They would celebrate in the café where they would all meet around midday and stay as long as they would want to.

When the day had come, her excitement had increased so much that she could barely sit still. Over and over again she checked if she had really thought of everything; the meals, the drinks, enough space for everyone. So busy she was that she didn't notice how her father was constantly watching her.

"Jessica," he said then as once again she threw a concerned glance at the lovingly decorated buffet. "Why are you so worried, my dear? You have thought of everything and when Don arrives with the rest of the drinks, we have everything here we need. We only need the guests to arrive."

"But what if I missed something?" she wanted to know, sighing. "This is my first real party and it's for all of the people we love. I want it to be perfect. I don't want anything to not work."

"But you thought of everything, Jessica," Cliff reassured her with a smile. "I've arranged so many parties myself; there is nothing else you should have thought of. And in what a short period of time you arranged it all! You should be proud of yourself. You have a talent for those sorts of things."

Jessica looked at her father and to his relief a smile lit her face. "Maybe I'm just overreacting."

"You are, believe me," he told her, resting a hand on her shoulder to squeeze it gently. "Everything will be fine, don't you worry. You'll do a fantastic job with this party."

"Absolutely," Flack, who just was about to enter the café as well, agreed. "I'd be happy if one of you would help me with all those bottles though."

Chuckling, Jessica hurried over to her boyfriend to help him with all the drinks he was trying to balance. Once again Cliff used the moment to smile at the sight. He didn't have a doubt the party would be a full success. Just like he didn't have a doubt his daughter would be perfectly fine with leading the café all by her own soon.

---------

For a couple of minutes now, Lindsay was standing in front of the wide opened closet, staring into it while trying to make a decision. She was glad that not even half of her dresses, blouses, skirts and jackets were to be found in there. The rest of them were stored in different boxes or suitcases. Usually she didn't like to wear the fancy ones anyway; Danny didn't care what she was wearing, he liked her in everything.

"I really should have asked what we're supposed to wear," she said then, shaking her head. "Are we supposed to dress up? Is it fine to wear a casual skirt and a blouse? I really have no idea."

She turned around to Danny who was sitting on the bed, dressed in a suit already. He was staring onto the floor in front of him, obviously deep in his thoughts. She didn't have a doubt he hadn't heard a single word. Smiling softly, she made her way over to him and joined him on the edge of the bed. He jumped lightly as her sudden presence caused him to snap out of his thoughts.

"Are you alright?" she wanted to know. Instinctively her hand found one of his, closing around it tightly. Next to constantly searching for eye contact, this was another way for them to communicate without words. He glanced at her, immediately with a light smile.

"Of course I'm alright," he answered. "I think it's just...a lot at once."

Danny stopped for a moment, waiting for the case she would respond. Lindsay stayed quiet though, simply watching him instead, offering him to continue.

"See, there've been times when I've felt like I'm pretty much the only person existing on this planet," he told her then. "I know that might sound strange, but even if this city is so huge, you can feel incredibly lonely here. I've often wondered how it would feel like if things were different; if I could find friends, maybe even a woman who would love me. Now all of the sudden I seem to have everything at once. Look how much I got during this year. My friendship to my friends intensified. I found my great love who I will marry soon. And after all those years I got to meet my family again who I didn't even know still cared for me."

"You're right that it's a lot happening at once," she agreed. "But a lot of wonderful things."

"I know," Danny replied. He smiled lightly. "I think...never mind."He blushed, looking away, but he didn't have to glance at his fiancé to know he had caught her attention.

"What is it?" she wanted to know. "Don't say nothing. I know you good enough to know there's something you want to say. So would you say it, please?"

Once again Danny looked at Lindsay, feeling how he blushed even more. "It is just that I wonder if I deserve all that. I'm not a perfect person. Yes, I know, I should be proud of what I made happen. I've had nothing but now I have a job and will be married soon. Still there have been things I've done in the past I'm not proud of and I'm just overwhelmed by all the good things I'm getting now."

"What did you do that could make it a surprise for you that things are nicer now?" Lindsay asked him.

His face was bright red at this point. "I don't think you want to know that much about me."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at him. "I wouldn't ask you if I didn't want to know it. Don't you compare me to those women who don't even dare to ask questions about their partners because they think they're not allowed to. What have you been doing?"

"Let's say I have been close to being send to prison myself," he answered with a sigh. "I've stolen a few things from shops, food mostly. I also drank alcohol when it was forbidden already."

"That's all you did?" Lindsay wanted to know.

"I think that's enough," Danny replied. "I never hurt anyone. I've been stealing a lot though and you know drinking alcohol isn't legal either."

"I think if all you did was stealing because you were hungry and needed food and couldn't get it any other way because people didn't give you anything and if you've been drinking alcohol here and there, I really don't care at all," Lindsay told him honestly. "If I had been in your situation, I would have stolen the needed food as well. What else should you have done? Starved maybe? And about the alcohol...you know what? I drank some myself, even after 1919. Who cares? No one caught us."

Danny looked at her in surprise. "You did what?"

Lindsay chuckled. "Is that so surprising? Only because I'm the upper class girl doesn't mean I never did anything I shouldn't have done."

Listening to her and seeing the wink she gave him, Danny laughed himself. "I have to say I really never met a woman like you. You're amazing."

"Just like you," she replied, kissing him onto the cheek. "I'm glad you've been so honest to me though. Don't worry because of the times you stole something and because of the alcohol. Everyone does things we're not so proud of. It doesn't change the one you are and of course you deserve everything of what's happening. You've had such hard times in the past. It's about time you're happy. We both deserve it."

"I think the best is to just agree with you, isn't it?" Danny asked with a wink.

Lindsay laughed. "Absolutely. But now that we clarified that, maybe we should hurry if we don't want to be late for the party. I still have to choose what I'll wear."

"Why don't you just wear nothing?" Danny suggested with a grin.

"Danny!" Lindsay exclaimed playfully. "Don't you say something like that! We're not married yet."

Danny laughed, shaking his head at his playfully pouting partner. "Oh, if this statement means trouble then we better really keep a secret what else we did in this bedroom," he told her with a smirk. "Maybe I should really go and vote. Who knows, maybe the next president will allow non-married couples to live together already. Maybe he'll even allow us to drink wine again. Imagine, drinking a glass of wine together on a cold winter evening."

Lindsay chuckled. "I always knew you're a romantic man. Now help me choose a dress, please."

Still smiling, Danny got up from the bed and joined Lindsay at the closet.

---------

It was midday when Danny and Lindsay arrived at the café. They weren't surprised to find all of their friends there already, awaiting them in excitement. Once again Danny could feel his excitement increase at the sight of his family members.

During the days since they had arrived, they all had spent as much time together as possible, had used the chance to catch up on everything they had missed. A lot had happened to his family during the years; for example he had learnt that his sister Aiden had been married and divorced again which was the reason why her surname had changed into Burn.

Danny had also told his family about the time after his uncle and Louie had decided to travel west. The reactions of shock and crying he had gotten from his family had almost made him regret he had brought up the topic, but Lindsay had reassured him that knowing about his past was just as important to his family as knowing he was fine now and like she had promised to him; they had shown him how proud they were because of what he had managed to do.

Now said family was positioned at the lovingly decorated tables in the café, along with all their close friends. Obviously getting introduced wasn't necessary anymore as everyone was chatting already. Danny and Lindsay exchanged a short glance, both of them smiling. Their little family was steadily increasing; new friends, lost family members; everyone was getting together again. It was an almost overwhelming feeling but at the same time they couldn't imagine anything more wonderful.

"Look, there are our special guests!" Flack announced while at the same time taking two well filled plates of food from Jessica to bring them to the well crowded table. Immediately everyone started to cheer for the arriving couple. Once again exchanging a glance, Danny and Lindsay sat down between Mac and Adam.

"You know, at least one of you two has to say something special now," Sheldon said with a wink at the couple.

Danny chuckled. "I was planning on doing that anyway. But first I'd like everyone to sit down."

Barely he had spoken it out when everyone had rushed over to the table and sat down indeed, the full attention turned to Danny and Lindsay. For another moment he waited, once again looking at his fiancé who gave him an encouraging nod.

"I have to say I'm not someone who is too good with speeches, at least not in front of people," he started then. "But I think this is not a crowd of unfamiliar persons. Instead we're all together as one big and steadily growing family. A family which I'm incredibly grateful for. Our first thank you goes to Jessica for arranging this lovely meeting for all of us; there is no better way to get together than to meet at our favourite café; a place that means a lot to a lot of us. But we also want to thank those who made it possible that we even have something to celebrate today. We want to thank Mac, Adam, Stella and Sid for arranging this wonderful surprise and making it possible that my family could come over to America. I think Lindsay agrees with me that this is the most wonderful wedding surprise you could have made for us. Thanks for that."

With his face flushing lightly, he finished his speech. Glancing at Lindsay, Danny found her smiling at him brightly. Once again she had taken his hand, had held it all the time in an agreeing gesture while he had been speaking. Now she gave it a gently squeeze, showing him she was proud of his open words; something he would have never done in the past.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that you two are more than welcome," Sid said then. Rising his glass, he added, "To the happy couple."

"To the happy couple," the others joined in.

"I think I can really understand why you've been feeling overwhelmed," Lindsay whispered as they took a sip of their glasses. "I still can't really believe all this is really happening. Look at this. Family reunions. Happy couples. And you and me will marry soon. It makes me want to shout out in joy."

Danny chuckled. "You know that I wouldn't mind if you shouted around in joy. You're cute when you're excited."

Before she could reply though, it was Cliff who caught everyone's attention with lightly hitting his folk against his glass. "Before everyone rushes over to the buffet," he said, smiling as every of the guests turned their attention to him. "I have something to announce as well. Like you know already, this party was arranged by Jessica. My dear daughter, like I told you I knew you would do a wonderful job with it. Just like you'll do a fantastic job with leading this café all by your own from now on."

For a moment the room was filled with silence as everyone stared at Cliff. Jessica's eyes had widened. "What...do you mean...?" she stammered.

Cliff nodded. "Yes, Jessica. You know about my plans to open a new restaurant. But I will need someone to take care of one of my other places. Who could be more perfect than you, my dear? I want you to take care of this café here, your favourite place. I want you to do with it what you feel right with. It is under your control completely from now on. Don and I don't have a doubt you'll be wonderful with that."

Jessica stared at Flack, who grinned at her. "You knew about that?" she wanted to know.

He nodded. "I told you there is a surprise I can't tell you about. You only have to say 'yes'."

"I hope you know there is only one possible answer here," Lindsay told her with a wink.

"Yeah, because no other answer will be accepted by us," Danny added, the others nodding in agreement.

"That's...I didn't expect it at all," Jessica replied amazed. "And...yes, of course I want to do that. I couldn't imagine anything more perfect than leading this café." With that she jumped up from her chair and rushed around the table to throw herself into the open arms of her father. "Thank you so much for your trust, Dad."

While everyone cheered at the answer, Danny and Lindsay used the moment to exchange a smile again. This party was full of surprises, just like the last couple of weeks and months had been. And they both agreed; celebrating together with all those people who had become a real family for them was one of the most wonderful events they could imagine. It made them just even more excited for their wedding.

**Preview: Mac thinks about marriage. Danny and Lindsay have a family meeting when unexpected guests arrive.**


	51. Freedom Means To Have Your Own Opinion

**Author's note: Thank you so very much for the lovely reviews and for still reading this story, even after 50 chapters! There will be many more! Special thanks to Storywriter, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturm567, Hannah554, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, rocksmacked and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 51: Freedom Means To Have Your Own Opinion**

"I think weekends I love the most," Stella said, joining Mac on the couch where he had just sat down. Nodding her head, she took the cup of tea he offered to her.

"And why do you like them best? If I may ask," Mac wanted to know.

Stella smiled. "Of course you can ask. You can always ask me everything. The reason why I love weekends the most is because you and I can spend them together. Luckily you stopped believing that you have to work the entire weekend because your clients can wait; everyone needs a break. Since you understood that, we've got a lot more time."

Mac smiled himself. "That is true. I have to admit that I feel a lot better myself now. Of course everyone would rather spend some time with their partner than at work."

Stella chuckled. "Well, at least I hope so. There's so much we can do over the weekends also. We could go to a musical again for example. We haven't done that in quite a while." She sighed at the thought, her smile widening as her eyes wandered over to the window, warm sunrays greeting her. "I wonder what our soon to be married couple is doing, with all their family members in town now."

"I think you just answered the question yourself," Mac said, taking a sip of his tea. "They might spend the day together with them."

"I'm sure it's something they'll need to get used to at first," Stella replied thoughtfully. "Imagine, in the past both haven't really had to do anything with their family members, apart from Dr. Hammerback. And now they have such a big family. I'm sure it's not an easy situation you can simply get used to."

"I think they're more happy than overwhelmed though, at least that's how it seemed to me," Mac answered.

Stella nodded. "Very true indeed. Also I believe those two can easily get used to new situations. Like they surely will get used to being married as well." Once again she sighed. "A wedding. I imagine it's an amazing event."

Mac nodded as well. "It is an amazing event, that's true," he said. And before he could stop himself, his thoughts drifted away, back to this one day in the past. His own wedding. Mac knew he would never forget this day.

After what had happened to Claire though, he had promised to himself he wouldn't get married again. It had been a wonderful experience and he wanted to keep it in mind. Mac had been convinced that he would never fall as much in love with someone as he had with Claire. Something deep inside him also had tried to make him believe that he didn't have the right to do so either.

But then he had met Stella and his situation changed once again. It had taken Mac a lot of time and a lot of conversations with his friends to understand that it wasn't wrong to fall in love again. No one could fight against feelings; they would always win.

Like his love for Stella had won. He had accepted those feelings long ago. And slowly, ever so slowly, another thought found its way into his mind. He had promised to himself he would never get married again. Now there was Stella though and despite all his promises, Mac could feel the wish again; the wish to ask this one question that would bring them even closer than they were already. And he knew that no promise in the world would stop him from asking it again one day.

--------

Danny and Lindsay had to admit that being surrounded by so many family members all of the sudden was a new experience they had to get used to. They also agreed that they had been longing for such a family reunion and they were clearly enjoying it.

It had been Sid and Dana though who had invited all family members for lunch. Now the Messers, Danny, Lindsay and the Hammerbacks had appeared at the penthouse. The men and Elena had sat down on the various couches that were surrounding the fireplace, chatting and laughing while the women had called the kitchen their territory.

Inwardly, Lindsay couldn't help but smile at the realisation of what they were doing. She peeked into the living room, just in time as Danny looked over to the kitchen, offering her a wink. She found it amusing that this situation seemed to be so normal; the men were waiting for the lunch the women were preparing. In fact the situation at home was a completely different one. Usually Danny and Lindsay cooked together, same counted for the rest of housework. She was aware of how unusual this was and she was grateful for it.

Still with a smile, Lindsay headed back into the kitchen. She was greeted by a bright smile from Sofia; the way the woman acted around her ever since they had met. It was something she was very relieved about; obviously the family had accepted her already.

"Lindsay," Sofia said then while she was stirring the soup they would have as the first course. "I can't tell you often enough how glad I am my son met you. All those years I have been praying that he would meet someone he could fall in love with. He was still almost a child when he had to move into a whole new world. I was hoping that over here he would find someone who would make him happy. Now with you he's found someone who seems to be better for him than I ever imagined."

Lindsay smiled at the compliment, immediately feeling her cheeks flush. "He's making me happy as well," she answered.

"I hope so," Sofia said. "Is he treating you well, like he should?"

"More than well," Lindsay answered. For just a moment images of her previous enforced relationship came into her mind but quickly she shook them off again. "He's treating me like a queen, he couldn't be any better to me than he is."

"That's my brother," Aiden said with a smile.

Sofia nodded. "I'm glad he turned out to be the gentleman I wanted him to be. And soon the two of you will be married. You'll be a real family of your own. Did you also decide when you'll want to have children?"

For this question, Lindsay hadn't been prepared although she should have seen it coming. "No, we didn't talk about this topic yet," she answered, immediately feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh, don't you worry about that," Sofia said. "There is no need to hurry with that as long as you decide to have them one day."

Lindsay nodded in response. While Sofia and Aiden took care of the soup again, she couldn't help but think of the question again though. So far she and Danny hadn't talked about having children; there had been too many other topics they had to deal with. A couple of months ago they had met for the first time, had soon fallen in love and then officially gotten together. In her eyes, the decision to get married had come fast and with everything happening around them there had been no time for conversations about children.

She knew though what society expected from her and she knew that even though Sofia said she shouldn't have to hurry, she expected to have grandchildren soon. So far Lindsay didn't know what she was thinking about this topic herself and Danny's opinion she didn't know either. Of course it was their decision as they were the married couple and so far no one's opinions had caused any pressure for them. Still she couldn't deny the discomfort she was feeling.

A couple of minutes passed until the first course was done and Sofia and Aiden carried the large kettle into the living room where the men had sat down around the dining table already. Lindsay was just on her way to follow as he felt her arm being grabbed. Turning around, she found Dana standing behind her.

"Wait a moment," she told her and Lindsay stopped.

"What is it, Mom?" she wanted to know.

Dana studied her daughter for a moment before she spoke. "The question Sofia asked was something most mothers ask either their children or the partners of their children, especially when they're getting married," she said.

"Yes, of course. I know," Lindsay replied.

Dana smiled softly. "Then don't feel like it was intended to make you feel uncomfortable. She asked because she wanted to know whether you have planned to have children or not. And you know what I told you about answering questions, right?"

Lindsay smiled lightly herself. "Yes. When someone asks you a question, you always have two options to answer. Yes or no. If someone asks you a question, they should always be prepared for both answers," she repeated what her mother had taught her as a young girl. "But you know society has a different opinion about that. Sometimes questions are asked to be polite while the person clearly expects a certain answer though."

"Then this is not your problem but theirs," Dana answered. "Listen, Lindsay. I know you're like me with your sometimes stubborn self and I don't want you to change that, for anyone. I know there have been times in the past when you said yes although you didn't mean yes, because you thought you had to do so. You're about to marry Danny though and I know neither he nor you care for those stupid and strict rules society has. When someone asks you for your opinion about something, say what you think, not what you think the person wants to hear. And when you say what you think, don't feel bad because of it. If a person doesn't want to know your opinion, they shouldn't ask for it. And from how I know Sofia, she would never have a problem with any of your opinions."

"I know that," Lindsay replied. "She's a very friendly woman. But still, I'm a wife soon and it's expected that a wife gives her husband children. Don't tell me it's not like that. You got a child yourself."

Dana smiled lightly. "Do you think I had you because people expected that from me?" When Lindsay shrugged, she added, "No, that was not the reason. Your father and I had you because we wanted to have a child. We didn't have you right after our wedding. It took us some time and when we knew we both were ready for it, we decided to give it a try. We did it because of us, not because anyone expected it. I know you've been raised in this strict society for way too many years and I'm glad you got my stubborn mind because otherwise you wouldn't be who you're now. Keep that going though. Don't see this marriage as something that gives you even more duties. See it as something that makes everything easier. When you two want to have children, it's your decision, and it's also your decision when exactly you want them. See marriage as this; it gives you the permission to legally live together with the man you love and to share your bed with him without having to deny it."

"Mom!" Lindsay stared at her mother in disbelief, her face reddening.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Dana asked back with a wink. "It's also another thing where you and Danny didn't follow the common rules. So why should you do it now? You'll have children when you feel it's the right time for them. No one has to tell you otherwise."

Once again Lindsay smiled and she nodded. "Thank you," she said. "Thanks for encouraging me. I...well, I can't tell you who glad I am you decided to come back."

"I know." Dana nodded, briefly embracing her daughter tightly. "I'm glad I came back to you and Sidney." She paused for a moment, affected by the sudden emotions. "But now let's get in there, I really want to taste this soup."

With a chuckle, Lindsay nodded and followed her mother into the living room as well, just to almost run into Danny.

"Oh, hey," he said, instantly offering her one of the smiles that never failed to make her knees weak. "I was just on my way to ask you if you wanted to join us. The soup is waiting."

Lindsay laughed lightly. "I'm sorry we let you wait. I know you can't resist food, especially not when it's smelling so well."

Danny chuckled. "Well, I can't resist you either," he told her with a wink.

"Danny! I really don't think that's an appropriate topic for a family meeting," Lindsay told him in a playfully warning voice.

"Lindsay, you should know that I don't care if it's appropriate or not," he answered, giving her a quick kiss. "Now let's hurry, I want to try this soup."

Just as the couple wanted to return into the living room though, they were interrupted by the ringing doorbell. Sid and Dana exchanged a surprised look.

"Do we await someone else?" Sid wanted to know.

Dana shook her head. "No, but let me have a look who's there."

With that she got up to open the door. A couple of minutes she stayed away, causing an excited tension to rise in the room as everyone was wondering who had arrived, not daring to get up and look though to not seem to be too curious.

They didn't have to either. A moment later, Dana returned, leading two men into the living room. The Messers instantly stared at them in surprise, immediately knowing who was standing in front of them.

"It seems like our family is steadily growing," Dana announced, surprised herself. "Let's welcome Louie and Antonio Messer who just managed to arrive in New York as well."

Hearing the names of the men, Lindsay looked up at Danny in surprise. Once again she found an expression in his eyes she only knew too well. Those men in front of them were his uncle and brother. The two men who he had traveled to America with.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay are confronted with more family members and an old topic is discussed.**


	52. Honest Conversations

**Author's note: Like always thank you so very much for reviewing! Thanks also for reading! I really hope you will continue reading and telling me what you think of the fic, it means a lot to me! Thanks again to afrozenheart412 who suggested the storyline for this chapter! You're the best! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, SMacked Hard, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567, rocksmacked and angel (Thank you so much for the lovely review!)!**

**Chapter 52: Honest Conversations**

Once again Lindsay witnessed another family reunion of the Messer family. With excitement from all people involved, Antonio and Louie got greeted by the Messers. After a moment of hesitation, Danny joined them as well. Still Lindsay could feel the tension radiating from her fiancé. Tension because of the memories those two men brought back.

"What a nice surprise," Sid greeted the new arrivals. "This means you received Mr. Taylor's and Mr. Ross's message?"

Louie Messer nodded. "Yes. We have been in the south when the message reached us and we made our way to the city. Over here then we managed to find a Mr. Taylor who told us we would find you here."

"It has been so many years," Antonio said. "Not only haven't we seen the whole family in such a long time but also you, Danny." Once again he embraced his nephew tightly. "You have been missed by us. All those years we have been apart. Exchange of letters isn't the same, it can't be compared to seeing a person face to face."

Danny nodded. "Seeing a someone in person is definitely a different feeling and I'm grateful that you managed to come over again. I'm also glad we stayed in touch with letters though."

"And we will have to continue that, even when we're not in the city anymore," Louie added.

"But now you're here," Dana replied, with a smile leading the arrivals over to the well crowded dining table. "And after such a long journey, you must be tired and hungry. Luckily you're just in time to have lunch with us, and we would be very happy if you joined us."

"Thank you," Antonio said with a smile, following the suggestion.

Lindsay had watched the scene without saying much words. She had joined the great greeting and she couldn't deny she felt happy for the family to be reunited again completely. They hadn't seen each other in ages and she knew how much his family meant to Danny. In his eyes she could see the relief that all of them were still fine and had found the time to visit him.

She could also see another expression in his eyes though. She hadn't missed his hesitation towards his uncle and brother. Many times Danny had told her he had understood his uncle had to leave the city to get money for himself and his brother. He also had told her many times that he had supported his uncle's decision to leave him in the city. But as many times as he had told her this, Lindsay had still been able to feel that there was more behind that than Danny wanted to admit. Now she could feel this tension once again and while he tried to accept the past, she wasn't able to do it so easy.

The lunch was filled with conversations and discussions but as much as she tried to, Lindsay could hardly participate. She answered the asked questions, asked some herself but couldn't get deeper into any conversations. Lindsay wasn't sure if her reactions were appropriate and dearly she tried to be more open minded towards the new arrivals. If she had learnt something it was not to pretend feelings she wasn't having. That this didn't stay unnoticed to Danny she had expected.

"Are you alright?" he asked after a while.

"Of course," Lindsay answered, trying to offer him a smile. "Why shouldn't I be alright?"

"I'm not sure," Danny said, shrugging lightly. "You have been in a better mood this whole morning but since my uncle and brother arrived here, you seem to be so unusually quiet. You're barely saying anything, you're only making short answers."

"No, I'm fine, really," Lindsay told him, nodding her head to emphasize her words.

Danny studied her for a moment before he gave her a light smile. "You can always tell me everything, I hope you know that. There are no opinions or thoughts you have to hide in front of me. You can be fully honest."

"I know," Lindsay replied, this time able to give him a real smile. "Later maybe."

Once again they turned their attention back to lunch, but still Lindsay couldn't fully pretend everything was normal like it had been before and she knew Danny could clearly feel it. She was also aware of the fact that he was being honest. She could tell him the truth and share her feelings with him, but currently wasn't the right time for that and she didn't want to ruin the reunion with her thoughts.

Anyway she was glad when lunch was finished and she got the chance to help and clean the dining table up. While still everyone was busy with chatting and getting to know each other, Lindsay used the busy situation to get a distance between herself and the group while she offered to clean the dishes. Gratefully she welcomed the quiet in the kitchen while the rest of the family members stayed in the living room. So deep in her thoughts she missed how another person decided to leave the group alone as well and join her.

"Do you need any help?"

So deep in her thoughts, Lindsay tensed lightly at the unexpected question, spinning around with a red face at the realisation of how she had reacted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Antonio apologized.

"It's fine," Lindsay told him with a light smile. "Thanks also for the offer but I'm fine. I thought some quiet would be nice and I like to do the housework."

"You like to do the dishes?" Antonio asked surprised.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. In the past my father always had people who did that for us but already back home in Montana I liked all this housework and now I like to do it myself."

"A born housewife then?" he wanted to know.

Lindsay shook her head. "Not a born housework but still I like to do all that."

Offering another smile, Lindsay turned her attention back to the dishes. Antonio stayed though and slowly she started to understand why. She felt how he kept on watching her for a couple of minutes before he spoke again.

"You have a problem with me, don't you?" he asked.

Once again Lindsay stopped. She had sensed that the man had joined her to ask her exactly this question. Once again she turned around, determined to not start a fight but also to bring her opinion across. Too many times she had tried to adjust her opinion to the ones of others in the past. Danny, Stella and Dana had taught her to stick to it though and show it to others. Nothing else she would do now.

"I don't have a problem with you," she answered then. "I don't know you yet and I would never judge you or have any problem with you if I don't know you. I'm not judgmental. But anyway I know a lot about what has happened in the past and what it led to. I don't have it easy with just ignoring that."

"Which is good like that I think," Antonio replied. "I guess you're upset because of my decision to let Danny stay in New York."

"Yes," Lindsay agreed. "I know the whole story. I'm aware of the fact that you had no money anymore and that you didn't want to stay in the city because you couldn't find a job and wanted to get money somewhere else. I also know you could only buy two tickets for the train and that Danny told you to leave the city together with his brother. I'm also sure you didn't want to do that and that you wanted to take them both with you. But still...I know what happened after that and I wonder if there wouldn't have been another way to take them both with you. Or if you couldn't have made it work here."

She paused for a moment, shaking her head. "I'm sorry for saying all that. It's not my right to judge and I'm not doing so. I never do. I know everyone has reasons for what they do and you always have to make decisions, no matter how difficult they are. Sometimes you can't have the best case scenario. Possibly this was the only way for you to decide and it's really not my right to judge you. I don't, really, and like I said I don't have a problem with you because of this decision. But...I love your nephew and I heard what he had to go through. He had to live in a cardboard box, he had no food for days and owned not more than the clothes he wore. Thanks to his strong will and determination and because he met Mr. Angell who offered him a job, he got out of the streets. Imagining what he had to go through pains me so much and I wish there would have been a way to prevent this from happening. I know this might not be rational thinking and I feel bad because I make you feel like what you did was wrong. I don't mean to do so because I believe you struggled a lot with your decision. But I can't help the feeling that he would have needed more protection as he was still almost a child back then."

Finishing her speech that got longer than she had ever expected, Lindsay looked back at Antonio. Still she found it difficult to be fully honest to people and confront them with her feelings. Antonio had asked her though. She didn't blame him for making a decision but as hard as she had tried, she couldn't forget the fact of what it had led to.

"I'm sorry," she couldn't help but add.

"I think it's me who has to apologize," Antonio replied. "Wait," he interrupted her when she opened her mouth to contradict. "You have been very honest to me and I want to thank you for that. Especially for a woman it's highly unusual to speak out what she has in mind and I think you can be very proud of yourself for doing so. It shows you have a strong character. And I fully understand what you want to tell me. All those years I struggled with my decision, the worst it was when I couldn't contact my nephew in any way during the first couple of months after we left. I was relieved when I finally found out he had found himself a home and a job, but it shocked me when I found out what he had to go through. I know I should have tried harder. Even he managed to find work in the city and maybe so would have I. Instead of spending the money on two train tickets, we could have stayed together a few more months and maybe then I would have found a job and everything would have been completely different. I made this decision and I know I made it too soon. Believe me when I tell you I regretted my decision ever since then, especially because possibly I could have prevented him from living in the streets if I had stayed longer and had tried harder."

"You had to make a decision though," Lindsay answered. "You had to make it quick before you would have run out of money completely. Maybe it was right and you wouldn't have found a job. After all everything went well. Maybe the decision was wrong and if you had stayed you would have found a job and you could have stayed together as a family. But you can't know that and it also doesn't matter. For you it seemed to be the decision you had to make. I didn't mean to make you feel like you should blame yourself. All I wanted to do was make you understand why I'm a bit hesitant. I see you're feeling the way I feel about this situation back then and as much as I would love to tell you you made the best decision you could have made back then, I can't, as much as I would love to take all the guilt from you. This is though because I'm biased and as much as I tried, I couldn't fully get rid of this feeling."

Once again she paused, sorting her thoughts. "Antonio, I don't blame you for letting Danny stay in New York, I really don't. I haven't been in your situation. Possibly I would have stayed here and tried to find a job until I would have found one and would have tried to stay together with the family. But then I would have been out of money for tickets if I had needed them. I don't know what I would have done and like I said, I don't blame you for what I decided. I just wanted to be honest to you. I wish he wouldn't have to live in the streets and almost freeze in his cardboard box."

Her heart was racing as she looked at the man in front of her. To Lindsay's relief though, a smile lit Antonio's face.

"I know you're not blaming me for my decision and nothing of what you told me made me believe that," he said. "To me it came across of something else. You're being very honest and like I said, you should be proud of yourself for that. To me you seem as someone who wants to protect the ones you love, and your highest priority is my nephew. If I was you, I would be mad at me for letting him fight on his own as well. You're very protective of him and from just the way you're acting here, I can tell that I believe you would have stayed if you had been me back then. You would have stayed and tried everything possible to stay together as a family, no matter what this would have meant. I think I should have been as protective of him as you are now. Possibly this would have given me the determination to make it work here as well. I can't turn back the time though and I'm glad you're not blaming me for my decision. I hope though that one day you'll be able to face me without thinking of the decision I made."

At his words, Lindsay couldn't help but smile as well. "That's what I'm doing already," she answered. "Seems like being honest and talking things out is working better than anything else."

Another few words were exchanged before Antonio headed back into the living room. Once again Lindsay had been honest as she had told him she started to see him differently. She knew her feelings had been biased by her feelings for Danny but the fact the man understood her and was aware of the fact he could have had other options made her see him in a different light.

Once again she turned her attention back to the dishes. Once again she was joined in the kitchen again but this time the presence of the man didn't stay unnoticed and again she turned around, a smile lighting her face at the sight of her fiancé.

"Hey," she greeted him. "Are you getting bored of the chats in there?"

Shaking his head, Danny made his way over to her. "No. But I overheard another conversation."

"You did?" Lindsay's cheeks blushed at the realisation. But before she could explain herself, he was faster.

"I want to thank you for that," Danny said with a warm smile. "Thank you for standing up for me and for being so protective of me. It means incredibly much to me."

A smile lit Lindsay's face as well and she nodded. "I think this is what you and I are used to do; show each other support. It's another thing that make us be such a wonderful couple."

"Absolutely," Danny agreed, stepping closer so he could give her a gentle kiss.

Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing Danny again. She was glad he understood her. It was true; they had a lot in common and the way they supported each other was one part of that.

**Preview: It's the day before the wedding.**


	53. The Right Decision

**Author's note: Here is finally a new update for you! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Thanks also for reading! Special thanks to rocksmacked, afrozenheart412, Storywriter, lily moonlight, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, sucker-4-SMacked and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 53: The Right Decision**

There were a few different kinds of days a couple was looking forward to. In excitement they were looking forward to the moment they would find out they would be parents for the first time. The next step would be actually having this baby; the birth was another exciting moment. But before all that usually came another memorable day. The day of the wedding.

It was common to marry in those times. Danny had never seen himself as a common person though; only because everyone felt like marrying didn't mean he had to do so either. He enjoyed his independency, the fact that he didn't have to follow any certain rules and stick to only one person. Also he enjoyed that he didn't get emotionally bond to someone; something that had been frightening him the most.

Then he had met Lindsay and he had completely changed his mind. Suddenly independency was replaced by the realisation that he had been feeling simply lonely. The fact he could get to know different women wasn't appealing anymore, instead it was only exhausting him.

Suddenly Danny started to understand why people got married. He was still shaking his head at those who only married because of financial advantages or because they thought they had to to fit into society. That people married because of love was fully understandable though. Lindsay was the woman he could imagine himself walking down the aisle with, who he wanted to show how much he loved her and how much she had made him change. If he had even changed, because according to his friends he had never been different. Just not aware of it.

Now he was sitting on his bed in his apartment, staring down at the carpet on the floor in front of him as if he had never seen anything more exciting before. Mac was watching his friend in amusement. So far Danny hadn't even noticed his presence as he was leaning in the doorway of the bedroom. Not a single word he needed to hear to know what his friend was thinking about.

"It's an amazing experience, isn't it?" he asked then, causing his friend to snap out of his thoughts.

"Currently it's more overwhelming I have to admit," Danny answered. Sighing softly, he rested his arms on his upper thighs, frowning lightly. He was already fully dressed but still not fully ready to actually head to the church. Feeling that, Mac made his way over to him. Joining him on the bed, Mac watched him for a moment before he spoke again.

"What exactly are you feeling right now?" he wanted to know then. "Are you scared? Do you regret your decision?"

"No!" Danny answered firmly, shortly glancing at Mac before he stared down at his folded hands. "No, I don't regret that at all. It's the best decision I ever made to ask her to marry me. I just am wondering if her decision to say 'yes' was the best decision either."

"How do you mean?" Mac asked although he was aware of the answer that would follow.

"I mean that I'm still not sure...I mean, there are men out there who know they want to get married one day. Like you for example. You knew you wanted to be a husband and you were prepared for how to be one," Danny explained. "But...I'm different. Just because of Lindsay I realised I want that as well. In fact I have no idea of how to be a real husband. I never really thought of that." He glanced up at Mac again. "Does that make any sense?"

Mac nodded. "It does. But Danny, marriage isn't like doing a job where you need a special education for."

Danny sighed. "I know that, Mac. I didn't mean it like that."

"I think you did," Mac replied. "You wonder if you'll be able to be a husband because you never thought about marriage before. Actually there are a couple of rules society considers important when it comes to marriage, so if you want to follow those rules, make sure you'll keep your wife at home as a housewife, no matter if that's what she wants or not because it's your decision and she doesn't have to disagree with you anyway. You'll expect her to take care of everything at home and make sure that when you come home, dinner is awaiting you and nothing is revealing she's been working all day to make the house look the way it looks like. Then you'll have to decide whether you're in the mood for some intimacy or not and if so, you'll tell her to follow your wish. Again it doesn't matter what she's thinking herself because she is your wife; she has no right to contradict. Of course you also have to make sure you reproduce as quickly and as much as possible. Make sure she'll bear you as many children as possible and then will take care of them because that's not your work either. You just have to do your job, make sure you get enough money for your family. That's marriage in the book of society. Not that many rules to follow actually."

Inwardly Mac smiled at the disbelieving look Danny was giving him; this reaction he had been wishing for.

"Are you kidding me, Mac?" Danny asked, shaking his head. "No way I'll be treating my wife like that! I won't force her to stay anywhere if she doesn't want to and I surely won't make her sleep with me and do all this work for me if she doesn't want to. Yes, I want to have children with her, but again I'll talk about that with her before. And if we have children then, I want to raise them together with her, I won't put all the work on her. I want to marry her because I love her, I want her to be happy with me!"

Mac smiled at his friend. "Then I doubt you'll have any problems with marriage. All you need to know you're aware of already; she has to be happy, like you. It's love you need, and it's all you need. I don't know why you need me to tell you that over and over again."

Danny chuckled. "Maybe I just want to make sure I'll do it right."

"Like I said, I don't have a doubt you will," Mac told him.

"You always know how to give me confidence, don't you?" Danny asked, smiling himself.

"I just know you, Danny," Mac answered with a wink. "Now lets hurry or you'll be late for your own wedding."

"Good idea." Danny got up with Mac. There was something else he wanted to say though. "Now about you though? You told me once you'd never want to marry again. Are you still believing that?"

Mac hesitated for a moment. The questioning look his friend gave him though made it difficult for him not to answer. "I think I changed my opinion again," he said then.

Danny only gave him a knowing smile, nodding. Mac was aware of the fact that his friend knew exactly what he was thinking. Lindsay and Stella had changed both of them. Both of them had different opinions now and if they were honest they didn't mind that at all.

--------

In amusement Stella was watching Lindsay. For around half an hour now they were in the small room in the church they had been allowed to use for the bride to get dressed. After being in awe about said dress for minutes, Lindsay had been pacing up and down in the small room before Stella had managed to sit her down on one of the small chairs. Now her friend was sitting there, staring at the floor in front of her, her excitement radiating from her in a way that caused Stella herself to get nervous as well.

"Let me guess. You're excited?" she teased gently, causing her friend to snap out of her thoughts.

"Yes, very," Lindsay said, squirming lightly. "Thank you so much again for this beautiful dress, I still cannot stop thinking about how wonderful it is."

"It is just as wonderful and beautiful as you, my sweetheart," Stella answered. Making sure her own light blue dress didn't get kittened, she sat down on the chair in front of her friend. "Only a couple of more minutes and you'll get married to your great love. Isn't that amazing?"

Like hoped, a bright smile lit Lindsay's face at the thought and she nodded. "I'm so happy about that. I think you know how many times I changed my mind about marriage."

Stella nodded. She and Lindsay were friends for a very long time. Teenagers they had been as they had met and thanks to that they knew each other as well as sisters would. Stella knew that Lindsay was a romantic person. She had wanted to marry the perfect man when she had been younger. The perfect man who wouldn't treat her the way men usually did with their wives. She wanted to be loved; the most important part of marriage for her and Stella fully agreed. Back then they had made a promise that they would make sure to only marry the man they knew would give them what they both wanted the most; love.

Then Sid had met Daniel Katums and unfortunately had believed all the lies the man had told him. Inwardly Stella winced as she remembered how she had found out her best friend was supposed to marry a man she didn't love, a man who she knew was a bad person the second she had seen him for the first time. Stella had never tried to hide what she was truly thinking of Katums and had made sure to convince Lindsay that she should find a way to prevent herself from marrying him.

It had worked when Lindsay had followed Stella's advice and had listened to Jessica who had recommended a private investigator. Not a second she had doubted that Danny would find a way to prove what a bad man Katums was. Even more she had gotten excited when she had realised her best friend was falling in love with the man.

Now they were sitting in this small room in the church and Stella knew; her friend was keeping her promise. She would marry a man who would give her what she really wanted; love.

"I'm glad you didn't have to break our promise," Stella said then.

"I'm glad also," Lindsay agreed. "I just...well, remember how I didn't want to get married because of him? I wish I had never been together with this man. I should have tried everything to make my father believe what a bad man he was. Although this relationship led me to the man I'll marry now."

"Exactly," Stella agreed. "And I think Daniel Katums has nothing to do in your mind on this special day. The man is in prison where he's supposed to be. You don't have to marry him anymore, he can't hurt you anymore either. You'll marry Danny and you know he is a man I always wanted you to meet. He is so much in love with you, like you are with him. He won't force you to be someone you aren't, he'll even support your independent mind. He's perfect for you."

"He is," Lindsay agreed. To Stella's joy, her friend started to calm down visibly again. When she looked back up at her, she knew she wanted to add more though. "It seems like we both found those men we have been dreaming of all the time when we've been younger."

Despite herself, Stella blushed a bit. "Yes, I think that is right. I'm not sure Mac will want to marry again though."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Lindsay answered with a light wink. "I think Mac never planned to fall in love again. But he did. There is no reason why he shouldn't change his mind about marriage as well. As long as you want that yourself."

"I think I would be happy about that," Stella answered, causing Lindsay to smile. Before she could add more though, the door of the small room was opened. It was Sid who entered, a smile immediately lighting up his face as he saw his daughter.

"You're looking so beautiful in this dress," he said to Lindsay and gave Stella an appreciating nod. "You did an amazing work with this dress."

Stella smiled. "I thought such a special day requires a special dress. Are you here to pick us up?"

Sid nodded. "I think this is the moment we have been waiting for all the time. I can lead my daughter down the aisle to allow the man she loves to marry her. Are you ready to do that?"

Lindsay exchanged a short glance with Stella, both women smiling. Then she nodded and got up from her chair. "I am. I'm looking forward to being a wife."

With a broad smile, Sid took her head and led her out of the room. "I knew you would say that."

Smiling brightly as well, Stella followed Lindsay out of the room. She was glad her friend and Danny would marry. And she had to admit that the wish to marry Mac was getting stronger and stronger.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay get married.**


	54. Eternal Bonds

**Author's note: Like always thank you so much for reviewing! This is the chapter of the wedding, I hope you'll like it! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rocksmacked and saturn567!**

**Chapter 54: Eternal Bonds**

The sound of the wedding march echoed through the church as Lindsay and Sid walked through the door, causing the various guests in the rows to turn around to have a look at the beautiful bride.

Glancing down at his daughter, Sid knew that his daughter wasn't paying any attention to all those people though. Clinging to his arm to keep her balance and herself on walking, she had her eyes focused on the one man in the room who really mattered to her.

A smile lit Sid's face as he saw how Danny was perfectly mirroring Lindsay's expression as his wife got into his eyesight and their looks met. His son-in-law was wearing a suit that still didn't make him look too conservative; this special charisma he knew his daughter loved so much.

Seeing the young man standing in front of the altar, with an expression mixed of nervousness, excitement and awe, Sid had to think back of his own wedding, decades ago. He could fully understand how he was currently feeling. Even when a man wouldn't admit it, a wedding was one of the most exciting and wonderful events in a couple's life. Being united with the person you loved most was something he believed every couple should experience sooner or later.

And to his relief he found his daughter eagerly looking forward to this moment. She looked so beautiful in this white dress. But even this dress couldn't reach the beauty of her bright smile. So much Sid had blamed himself for forcing her into marriage with Daniel Katums and relieved he was because thanks to Danny's help, he had found out that his instinct hadn't been wrong. Also thanks to Danny, Lindsay was seeing marriage from a different point of view now. She was looking forward to it and he couldn't be any happier with a son-in-law like the man she chose.

Gently he squeezed her arm as they neared the altar. He could feel how nervous and excited she was but he knew it was a good kind of excitement.

And then they reached the altar and Sid handed his daughter over to her fiancé. He sat down in the first row, next to Dana who gave him a reassuring smile. He didn't need to hear a word from his wife to know she was feeling just like him. Their little daughter was going to marry now. They exchanged a smile while the priest started to talk and then turned their attention to the couple as they were about to speak their wedding vows.

Gently holding her hands in his, Danny was glancing at Lindsay, fighting with the strong emotions that were rising inside him ever since the moment he had woken up earlier this morning after a restless night and finding sleep for not more than a couple of minutes. Endlessly long the time seemed to have been until the doors had opened and his beautiful bride had entered the room together with her father.

Now she was standing right there in front of him, with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and the first tears glistering in her eyes and he had to swallow a few times before he could start the words he had prepared for such a long time now.

"Lindsay," he started. "You once told me that one thing you love about me is that I'm honest to you. So I want to be honest again. I'm incredibly nervous right now and even though I prepared this speech for weeks, I'm not sure I can get it all together in my mind again now." He paused for a moment as the crowd chuckled lightly and Lindsay's smile widened. "I don't think I need to follow a certain plan to let you know what I'm feeling for you and why I decided I want to be here with you now. I have to admit that I never saw myself as a man who would get married. Mac of course knew me better than I knew myself when he told me that I would fall in love sooner or later and it is what happened the moment I saw you for the first time. There've been many times in my past where I was close to giving up. Where I decided that no person would ever be allowed to step into my heart because I firmly believed all they would do would be breaking it. Then I met you and all of the sudden all my opinions changed. Suddenly there was someone who made life so much more worth living. Suddenly I knew that letting people in isn't something bad because if it means that I'm able to experience what real love means, it's more than worth the risk to be hurt. You never hurt me though, instead you made me understand that I don't need to change and don't have to be a certain kind of a man to be loveable. Many times I was afraid that we could be too different in some ways, but never you stopped to reassure me that you love me the way I am, because of my personality. You made me realise that in a world that is ruled by money, it isn't money every person is after. It's love. So I made myself the goal to always give you this one gift no money in the world could pay. I promise to give you all the respect and love you deserve and I will make sure that every day you will be as happy as you are now."

At this point, tears were running down his cheeks, but Danny didn't care. No longer he saw a need in hiding his emotions, not in front of the person who he loved more than anyone. She was crying herself but still smiled brightly as her hands tightened around his, giving her the strength to go through her own speech.

"Danny," she started. "As a young girl I talked to my dear friend Stella about how we want our perfect man to be. We decided that we wanted to marry this one perfect man who would make our hearts beat faster, who would treat us the way we thought we deserve it. So often I dreamt about this perfect day every woman is looking forward to. My wedding. Then things took a different turn and I was facing a man who couldn't be more different from the perfect man Stella and I created in our minds. I was supposed to marry him and for a way too long time, I had no idea how to find my way out of this misery again. Until rescue came in the figure of a private investigator who decided to help me and protect me with a determination that gave me hope again. Back then I had given up on the wish to find this one man, but suddenly I found him in no one else but this private investigator. You proved to me that not every man in this world is selfish and believing that women don't deserve equal rights to those of men. You encouraged me to be the way I am. You didn't start to suppress me when we got together, instead you showed me that I should keep my independent mind, that I should fight for my goals and that you would always support me, no matter which decision I would make. You showed me that real love exists. I found it in you and once again I changed my mind. Did I see marriage as a burden, as something every woman had to go through because society expects that from me, now I see it as what Stella and I saw it all the time when we were young girls. Marriage is the most beautiful bond between two people who love each other from the bottoms of their hearts. I have been looking forward to this day ever since the moment I found out you wanted to marry me. This bond between us, it's unique and precious and I'm grateful for it. We're meant to be together and like you, I will make sure to make you as happy as I can, every day."

The words had been spoken and in front of all those people who had come to celebrate one of the most important days in the lives of this couple, they had revealed their deepest feelings for each other. Almost Danny and Lindsay didn't hear what else the priest said as they were gazing at each other, in awe and amazement by the true love that was uniting them and which they had found in each other at a time when they had expected it less. Only the offer to kiss they heard as they closed the last bit of distance between them and their lips met in a kiss, filled with love, hope and the promise to make sure to always love each other the way they did now, at this special day.

--------

A couple of minutes after the romantic wedding in the church, the wedding party arrived at the Angell's café, where they would celebrate together with the couple. They cheered with them as they cut the wedding cake before they all sat down around the large table. Mac had waited until the excited chatting had faded lightly before he knocked his spoon against his glass lightly to catch everyone's attention.

"I think this is the moment when the best man does a little speech, making fun of the married couple," he said with a wink, earning laughter from the guests. "I think there isn't anything to make fun of as I think there couldn't be a more perfect couple, next to Stella and myself of course." Again the crowd laughed, especially Danny and Lindsay while Stella's cheeks reddened at her boyfriend's words. "I know Danny for a very long time now and like he said in his wonderful speech, I knew he would fall in love sooner or later. It is what happened and I'm glad the woman he chose is Lindsay. You two have a lot in common, despite every difference. I firmly believe that out there, everyone has a soul mate and I'm more than happy to announce that you found this soul mate in each other. You're the proof that true love exists. I won't say that I hope you two will continue making each other happy like that, because I know for sure that you will." He raised his glass. "To Danny and Lindsay."

"To Danny and Lindsay," the crowd cheered.

The couple, both with bright red faces now, exchanged a look, chuckling. Neither of them was used to so much attention. All those people, their close friends and families, were happy for them and knowing they had the support of all of them after having to go through times where they had felt so incredibly lonely, was another gift they were grateful for.

"I think my dearest Stella also wants to let you know something," Mac said then, giving Stella a nod. The entire attention turned to the fashion designer now.

"Thank you, Mac," she said. "As the most of you might know, Mac and Adam surprised our lovely couple with the arrival of our guests from Italy. I myself have a little surprise for Lindsay and I think that now is the right moment to announce it." She reached down and pulled a stack of papers out of the bag that had been resting next to her chair. "You might wonder what that is and to clarify any confusion, this is a contract." Her smile widened at the confused look Lindsay gave her. "I told you more than once that you have a talent for creating dresses. So many times you helped me to choose fabrics or you helped me with my plans. Someone like you is what I need at my side and I would be very happy if you signed this contract. Because with this you would be my partner. The partner of the fashion label StellaLindsay Designs'."

Like Stella had hoped, her surprise for Lindsay was a full success. Her friend stared at her in disbelief for a moment before her face changed into a bright red colour.

"You...you want me to be your partner?" she managed to ask then.

Stella nodded. "Yes. I know you're studying to be a journalist and still you could write for the most famous newspapers, but I know you love to work on dresses just as much. I think we could be a wonderful team together. Only if this is what you want yourself."

"Of course I want that as well!" Lindsay exclaimed. "Oh Stella, this is such a wonderful surprise!" She looked at Danny. "If you don't mind..."

"As if I would," Danny laughed. "Sign the contract before she changes her mind."

Laughing as well, Stella handed the papers to Lindsay while Danny gave her a pen so she could sign them. She didn't notice how Mac was watching his girlfriend, lost in his own thoughts. The wedding had been an emotional event.

Mac was indeed firmly believing in soul mates and like Danny and Lindsay had found it in each other, he had found his own one in Stella. And more than ever he was sure about what he was wishing for the most; to get married again himself. To this woman who had conquered his heart.

**Preview: What happens after the wedding?**


	55. This Special Connection

**Author's note: Thanks so much to all of you for the sweet and supportive reviews! It's exciting to see you're still interested in this story! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, Hannah554, rocksmacked, lily moonlight, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked and saturn567!**

**Chapter 55: This Special Connection**

Late at night it was when Sid unlocked the door to his large penthouse and let himself and Dana inside. He released a soft sigh in gratitude about the quiet; a wonderful difference to the loud party that had just ended a few minutes earlier.

The wedding party. Still Sid found himself in a state of mind that made it difficult for him to realise his only daughter was a married woman now. He wasn't aware of the fact that his wife had been constantly watching him, knowing exactly what was going on in his mind.

"Are you alright, Sidney?" she asked after a while, trying to hide her amusement at how he was still not able to sit down in his favourite stuffed chair next to the fire she had just lit in the fireplace like he usually did.

"Oh, of course, my dear," he answered, offering her a smile. "Why shouldn't I be alright?"

"If you are, why don't you just sit down for a moment before we head to bed?" Dana asked from her location in the chair across of his. Sid seemed to debate whether he should follow her wish or not before he sighed and sat down as well.

Dana chuckled. "I can fully understand you, Sidney. I also cannot believe our little girl got married today. It is a beautiful situation, but one we'll need to get used to."

"I am just relieved that she got herself the chance to marry a man she loves," Sid said, with one glance at his wife revealing to her that once again guilt was finding its way into his mind.

"Sidney, how many times do we have to talk about this?" she asked. "You did what you thought was right. You had no idea what kind of a person this man was. Leave it behind. You want her to not think about him anymore, so why do you? Lindsay is married to Danny now. They both are happy. I know it's a strange feeling to know our little daughter has grown up. But we both should be happy about that."

"I know, and I am, believe me, Dana," Sid answered honestly. "I hope they will stay happy like that."

"They will," Dana said with determination.

"Just like you and me," Sid said. When Dana gave him a surprised look, he smiled softly. "I think now it is your turn to stop the guilt and let go of certain events from the past. Apart from the time when our relationship broke apart and all those years we haven't been together, we have been happy, right?"

"Yes, we've been very happy," Dana agreed quietly.

Sid nodded. "We had a wonderful time in Montana. I don't regret we moved, but I think back there we couldn't have been any happier. You surely remember how we met for the first time, how we fell in love with each other and decided to marry and become a real family. Those memories are in my mind and they never fail to fill me with happiness."

Dana couldn't help but smile herself. "You are so right, Sidney, but on one thing I have to disagree with you."

"And what is that?" he wanted to know.

Dana smiled herself. "I don't think back then in Montana we've been the happiest. To me it seems like currently we're experiencing this time. To me it seems like ever since we got back together and realised how much we belong together, we're happier than we've been in a very long time."

Sid's smile widened as he nodded. "I fully agree with you on that." Leaning forward, he took one of Dana's hands and squeezed it gently. The reflection of the fire was emphasizing the warmth in his expression. "I'm grateful you decided to come back home. I couldn't be happier than with having you at my side."

And for moments, Dana and Sid only glanced at each other in silence, enjoying the magic of the moment. They had found the great love in each other many decades ago and after passing a lot of mountain-high hindrances, they were now able to experience their love together.

----------

"Wasn't this the most wonderful wedding?" Stella asked. She was already lying in bed while Mac was still redressing. "Lindsay looked so beautiful in the dress and she was smiling all the time. And Danny, like you said, of course he had to fall in love. I know he will be the perfect husband for her."

"I believe that as well," Mac said, finally joining his girlfriend in his bed. "It was indeed a wonderful wedding and I'm happy they only invited their closest friends and family members. This way it was a lot more private and special. The way a wedding has to be."

"Was yours like that as well?" Stella asked, before she could censor herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that."

But instead of giving her the painful look she had expected, Mac offered a reassuring smile. "Why not? One thing I love about you is your honesty and that you don't hide your thoughts behind what you think people want to hear. Also I talked to you about Claire before. Our wedding was indeed a private one. It feels so much better like that when only people you really know and who are truly happy for you are around. Otherwise it's just a party with many people you barely see and who don't even know a single bit about why you're getting married to this one special person."

Stella nodded light. "I believe that a wedding has to be a wonderful event. Lindsay and I talked about it so many times. We always imagined how a perfect wedding should be like. I think she got hers and that's really making me happy."

Something in Stella's expression though told Mac that she wasn't as happy as she pretended to be. He had a suspicion why that was, but he didn't want to force his idea on her for the case he was wrong. Anyway he didn't want the topic to stay unspoken.

"Do you also have plans for your own perfect wedding?" he asked carefully.

Stella looked up at him in surprise, her face reddening just a little bit. "Oh, no, I didn't think about that for a while," she answered hastily.

Mac gave her a light smile. "Stella, why do you lie at me?" When she looked at him in confusion, he added quickly, "Do you remember how you once told me that you see when I'm lying? You see it in my eyes. So do I with you. Why don't you tell me the truth about the wedding of your dreams?"

Stella was quiet for a moment, struggling with whether to say the truth of not. "Because the only man I want to marry is you, Mac," she admitted then. "I doubt that you want that as well though as I believe Claire is still in your heart and I don't want you to do anything you don't feel comfortable with."

With her answer, Stella had confirmed what Mac had suspected and like many times before, he wished he had been more open about his first wife to prevent such misunderstandings from happening.

"Stella," she said then, reaching out to take her hands into his gently. "You are right, Claire is in my heart and will always be. But I think we both have a different definition of that. After what happened to Claire, I was determined to never fall in love again. And another wedding? That was no option to me. Then I met you and all of the sudden I realised that I was too fast with my resolution. All of the sudden I realised that I might have found my great love in Claire, but for whatever reasons God has decided that I deserve to experience this luck again. I was allowed to find the love of my love again. In you, Stella. You have no idea how important you are to me. You've changed my life. You know how I was when you met me. I was spending most of my time at work and I have to admit, everything I felt was so dull, so dark. Then you stepped into my life and it seemed like you brightened up this dark. With your free spirit, your determination, strength and love for everything life has to offer, you made it impossible for me to not fall in love with you. For the record, I love you, from the bottom of my heart. And I couldn't imagine anything more wonderful than marrying you."

Stella glanced back at Mac in pure surprise at his unexpected confession. She had known he loved her but never she had expected this love to be that strong, that deep. Just like hers.

"Was that a proposal, Mac?" she couldn't help but ask softly.

With a smile that spread all over his face, Mac nodded. "Yes. Stella Bonasera, do you want to marry me?"

Once again Stella was speechless. Tears started to rise in her eyes as she got the ability to react back and she launched herself at Mac.

"Yes," she answered in pure excitement and happiness. "Yes, of course I want to marry you!"

With his smile widening, Mac closed his arms around Stella, holding her tight. A wonderful warmth spread in his body; a feeling he knew so well by now and which he was so grateful for. He was glad he hadn't given up on love but instead had given it a second chance.

----------

They didn't know for how long they were standing at the window of their apartment now, staring out into the beautiful night. With his arms wrapped around Lindsay from behind, Danny was holding his wife close, resting his chin in her curly hair, enjoying the fresh smell of it that reminded him of a fresh breeze that was blowing in the park in spring.

"Can you believe this?" Lindsay asked after a while, leaning a bit more into him. "We're married. A married couple."

"Yeah, now we can do whatever we want without feeling like it's forbidden," Danny said before he could stop himself. A chuckled escaped his wife, her body shaking lightly in his tight embrace.

"What a wonderful way to ruin a romantic moment," she teased him. "I was saying something like that and all you can think of is...that."

Danny chuckled himself, glad she hadn't been offended by him blurting out his thoughts. "I was being romantic as well. I think this is also something romantic."

"On that I agree with you, Mr. Messer," she stated, turning around in his embrace until she could face him.

"Glad to hear that, Mrs. Messer." He bent down to kiss her before he pulled back and gave her a smile. "I love how that sounds. I couldn't think of anyone who my surname would fit to better."

Lindsay only smiled back at Danny before she snuggled back against his chest, this time being the one who wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You said so many wonderful things in your wedding vow," she whispered, snuggling as close as she could. "All the things about knowing how it feels to be loved now and that you know now that there is nothing wrong with allowing people to be in your heart."

With his smile widening, Danny nodded, gently running his hands up and down Lindsay's back, enjoying the way her bare back and the silk of the dress felt like beneath his fingertips. "It was all meant like that. I really am no one who enjoys to be cheesy. But it's true what I said. You showed me there is nothing dangerous with being in love because in fact there is no feeling that is more beautiful."

"You're just too cute for words. Even if you don't like to hear it," she said with a chuckle.

Danny laughed as well. "Well, as long as it's only you who calls me cute, I'm fine with it. I hope you know that I will always make sure you keep on feeling happy like you do now. I know you've been through a lot with...him. But I won't ever do anything to hurt you, I promise that. You said that you trust in me. I won't ever betray this trust."

Once again Lindsay pulled back so she could look up at Danny. The smile she gave him warmed his heart. No words were needed to know that this woman would always trust in him and he was determined to do the same with her.

"I think you and I have to keep on thing in mind," she told him. "We have to keep in mind that we are together and got married because we love each other more than words can say. This love is all we need."

Danny bent forward to place a kiss onto her forehead. "I think that's our device. To trust in our love. I think both of us didn't have it easy when it comes to love. I've been on my own for such a long time and it really wasn't easy to let someone close enough to me to fall in love. And you have been through such a rough relationship. But see, now you and I are married and if you ask me, I couldn't be any happier."

Lindsay's smile seemed to get even brighter when she nodded. "I agree with you so much. This bond between us, it's a real gift. What did Mac say? There are soul mates out there. I always believed that myself and I'm glad I found mine."

"So did I," Danny replied softly. "But now...this is the night of our wedding. I think as much as I love to talk with you for hours and days, I also want to use the chance that there won't be any work to do for the next couple of hours and we can do whatever we want. Legally."

Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at his words, mixed with his best cheeky grin. "You just have to add that to our conversations, don't you?"

"As if you mind it," he teased, gently pulling her over to the bed. "I might even top that. You look so incredibly beautiful in this dress and I cannot wait to see you on the wedding picture. But even more I love you without any clothes covering you."

Lindsay laughed again, not without her face blushing bright red. "Danny!"

"What?" Danny asked back with a grin. "Lindsay, we are married now. I am allowed to talk about this topic."

"I would rather like you to stop talking and start acting though," she told him, resting her hands on his shoulders as she inched closer until her body was pressed up against his. He glanced back at her for a moment and once again she found emotions in his eyes that didn't fail to cause a strong happiness to rise inside her.

"I love you, Lindsay," he said.

"I love you, too, Danny," she replied.

Once again Danny and Lindsay kissed, with all the love they were feeling for each other. They were glad they had found their great love in each other and they knew that they would keep their promise of making each other happy and to trust in the one feeling that was more important than anything else to them. Their love.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay talk about children. Hawkes meets a woman.**


	56. Of Babies And Dreams

**Author's note: I think it's about time this fic gets updated again! ;) Thanks so much again to all of you for the wonderful reviews! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, sucker-4-SMacked, Storywriter, rocksmacked, SMacked Hard and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 56: Of Babies And Dreams**

The early morning started with the sun rising between the tall buildings of New York. Like a large, ripe fruit it was appearing in the colourful sky, promising yet another beautiful day in fall.

Lindsay didn't pay attention to the beauty of the morning though. Her full attention was resting on Danny, who was lying next to her, still sleeping. A soft smile had lit her face as she watched her husband.

Her husband. Still this sounded so surreal and so amazing. She was married to this man and she was so much in love with him; more than she had believed was possible. He had stolen her heart and she didn't mind if he kept it.

"How long will you keep on watching me?"

Danny's amused voice caused Lindsay to snap out of her thoughts as she was once again drifting back to the wonderful day of their wedding. Her cheeks reddened when she found him smirking at her with half opened eyes.

"I was just thinking," she answered. "Also now that you're my husband, I can watch you as much as I want."

"Oh," Danny teased her with a wink. "There's a lot we can do now that we're married."

Lindsay rolled her eyes at him playfully. "Will you start that again? I'm a lady, you can't talk to me like that." She couldn't help but laugh with him at her own words. "It doesn't mean that I don't like this particular topic."

"I know you like it," Danny said with another wink. "So, my dear wife, how does it feel like to be married to me? Are you still glad you made this decision?"

Lindsay smiled at his words, knowing exactly what her husband was thinking. Danny was trying to sound as if he was still teasing her gently. There was honesty behind his words though, so much she knew. Although he knew better and was good with ignoring the nagging thoughts that had been torturing him in the past, there was still this tiny voice that kept on asking him whether she was truly happy with him or not.

"I think I didn't ever feel better," she told him then, earning a relieved smile in response. "I couldn't think of anything better than being your wife and I hope you know that finally. You also want me to believe that you're happy with being my husband, right?"

"Of course, because I am," he agreed eagerly.

Lindsay nodded. "Exactly, and I'm requesting the same from you. It's a very enjoyable thought that you and I officially belong together. Although it of course also requires a lot more than just two people being happy."

"How do you mean?" Danny wanted to know.

Once again Lindsay felt herself blushing as she noticed what she had talked herself into with her honesty. With Danny she felt so comfortable that she saw no need in hiding her thoughts in front of him anymore. Still there were topics she was unsure about, and this one counted to those.

"When a man and a woman get together, people expect them to get married," she explained then. "When the couple is married, people expect them to have children. I think that's what they await from us now."

Danny raised his eyebrows lightly at her words; obviously he hadn't thought about this topic yet and also didn't seem to be too pleased by it. "I thought we don't care for those rules. We didn't stay away from each other until our marriage; we did what we thought was right for us."

"Yes, sure, but I think that our families also want to see us having our own little family soon," Lindsay said carefully. The look Danny gave her in response told her he had a suspicion why the topic was getting important for her now all of the sudden.

"Did one of my family members tell you they expect us to have children soon?" he wanted to know. "Because I know neither Sid nor Dana would say that to you."

Lindsay's face had gotten the colour of a tomato. "They didn't tell me they expect that we have children soon. I was just asked if we thought about it already and I know what people think about married couples."

"Yeah, I know that myself," Danny answered. "I can imagine that my mother or who else asked you when we'll have children, but like you said, they didn't say they expect it and I don't believe they expect anything from us. And you know that I don't care what anyone else thinks. You and I, we are the ones who decide when we want to have children."

"But maybe your mother's question was actually quite good," Lindsay replied. "Because...well, so far we never discussed this topic and...I have to admit I'd like to know how you're thinking about children, Danny. We talked about so much, but we never mentioned this topic at all yet. I don't even know if you want to have children at all." She paused, her face still in a bright red colour. "I'm sorry, maybe this is not the right moment to discuss this question though as it's the morning after our wedding."

"And why should we not talk about it now?" Danny wanted to know. "It is our first morning as a married couple and I think such an important topic doesn't need a certain moment of time. To answer your questions, I never thought about having children in the past. You know though that since you and I are together, I changed a lot of my opinions and same happened with my thoughts about having children. I would love to have a little family with you and the time for when we'll have our first child doesn't matter to me. The only thing that's important to me is that you want it as well."

"Of course I do. I always wanted to have children," Lindsay admitted. "But...I really am unsure on the question when the right time would be. Don't misunderstand me, I mean, I know as your wife..."

"Stop," Danny interrupted her. "Don't do this kind of a talk, okay? I want to hear what you think, not what you think I want to hear. Beside I believe that what you just wanted to say isn't what I want to hear in the first place."

"Alright," Lindsay agreed with a sigh. "You know I'm still studying and I want to continue it until I'm done with my study. Also I really want to take the chance Stella has offered me. Such a chance is incredible for a woman! She's right when she says that I love helping her with dresses and I often dreamt about creating some myself. We would have our own fashion label. I would love to take this chance."

"Then I don't think there's anything that's wrong with that," Danny told her. "Enjoy this new job. You know I'm not expecting that you turn into a housewife immediately. We can wait with having a child until you feel it's the right time. I agree, an own fashion label with Stella is a wonderful chance for you and many women would dream about getting it."

A bright smile lit Lindsay's face at the answer she had half expected and half hoped for. "Thank you," she said, leaning over to him to kiss him. "I think I can be really happy to have a husband who shares my opinion about women's rights."

Danny smiled as well. "You know me. If my wife is happy, so am I."

Laughing, Lindsay nodded. She knew Danny was being honest; he wouldn't push her into anything she wasn't ready for yet. They agreed they wanted to have children. But they didn't want to have them because people expected that from them. They would extend their family when they believed it was the right time for that.

--------

"Is there a reason why you are grinning at me all the time?" Jessica asked when she returned to the bar of the café that was now her own. Flack was leaning against the counter, constantly watching her with a broad smile on his face which seemed to only widen at her words.

"I just like to see you do your job," he said with a wink. "You're doing it so well and is it only my impression or do you love your job even more since you're owning this café."

Jessica chuckled. "Of course I love it even more. There can't be a more wonderful thing for a waitress than owning her own café."

Once again Flack's smile widened. He had always known that Cliff's idea was fantastic and seeing Jessica happy like that was one of the most wonderful things he could think of.

"Do you need some help of your partner maybe?" he asked then.

Jessica laughed. "But you never did that before." She winked at him. "But I would be happy if you helped me. Can you maybe carry this tray here over to the table at the window."

"Of course, boss," Flack teased her, earning another laughter.

While Flack an Jessica were working together now, Sheldon, who had entered the café a while ago, was still sitting at his favourite table in the corner near the window, a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of him.

Like his friends, the young doctor enjoyed to be at the café; even if it was a busy place, he could relax there very well. His life was stressful; in what had to be record time he had managed to finish his study and become a well known doctor in New York. Nothing had been given to him though; he had made all this happen with his own work and a lot of discipline. The fact he had proven that a man who hadn't owned much in the past would be able to study medical science hadn't been what had kept him on working. Becoming a doctor had been a dream of him since childhood and ever since then, he had worked for it.

Sheldon had to face a lot of hindrances and more than once, he had to struggle. But after all his determination made his dream come true and if people told him they were afraid to not reach their goals, he reminded them of his own story, hoping that with this he could give them the confidence that had helped him so much.

Once again enjoying the quiet, Sheldon let his thoughts drift away and so he didn't notice how another person entered the café; a person he had met just recently but who immediately recognized him as her eyes traveled over to the table in the corner.

"Dr. Hawkes?"

Snapping out of his thoughts Sheldon looked, finding Aiden standing in front of him. Immediately smile lit his face at his friend's sister. He had exchanged a couple of words with her at the party in the café and later at the wedding and although he usually used the moments in the café to relax, he was pleased to see her.

"Mrs. Burn," he greeted back. "Would you like to have a seat?"

"Oh, only if I don't disturb you," Aiden said quickly. "I saw you and thought I should say hello. If you rather want to be by yourself, I understand that."

Sheldon's smile widened. "I'd be happy if you joined me."

Smiling herself, Aiden nodded and followed the wish. She sat down at the table and ordered a coffee when Jessica came by. Then her attention turned back to the man in front of her and Sheldon could see she was still feeling unsure. He knew better than to question her about that and so decided to show her she really wasn't disturbing him in another way.

"The wedding was wonderful, wasn't it?" he asked. When Aiden nodded in full agreement, he added, "It's great you managed to be here as well. I imagine you were very excited to come over."

"Oh, I was, really," Aiden answered and Sheldon was glad to see her respond to his attempt to ease the tension.

He nodded. "And how long will you and your family stay here? If I may ask."

Aiden chuckled. "Of course you may, there is nothing wrong with asking me that. My family might head back to Italy in a couple of days."

"You're just speaking of your family?" Sheldon noticed. "How about you?"

Once again a slightly unsure expression appeared in Aiden's eyes, but next to that Sheldon surprised noticed a determination that didn't seem to fit to her current behaviour.

"I was thinking about staying in America maybe," she admitted. "I know it's not easy like that, but I was thinking about doing whatever is required so I can stay here. Very often I was thinking about how wonderful it would be to come over and see what I can do here, and now that I'm here and see how successful my brother is, the wish got even stronger." She blushed lightly. "I'm sure you think that is a stupid idea of a girl."

"No," Sheldon answered, with a determination as strong as the one he could see in her eyes and which he now understood she was simply hiding. "If someone believes that your idea isn't stupid but in fact fantastic, it's me."

"It's just a dream," Aiden said, but Sheldon shook his head.

"Don't say 'just'," he replied. "With dreams it all starts. All the big and famous persons in this world had big dreams some time in the past. Look at Mr. Einstein. Do you believe he ever expected he would win a Nobel Prize in Physics? That he would be such a famous man one day? I doubt it. But with determination, you can get so much. A lot is possible, even if we don't believe it at first. So yes, I believe if you want to stay here in America, you should."

Aiden glanced back at him with a surprised expression. She hadn't expected so much support. "Thank you," she answered amazed. "So...well, I would like to stay here because I would love to study medical science here. I know chances aren't high for a woman to make that happen, but it would be my dream."

"Then I think you found the perfect man for information and support," Sheldon said, surprised noticing how he got excited at the woman's words. "Because I think your dream is definitely something you should try to make come true."

Still she was smiling at him and even more than before, Sheldon was glad she had joined him at his table. Because he firmly believed that her dream was definitely something she should believe in and he would help her with that.

**Preview: Mac and Stella tell Danny and Lindsay that they want to get married and they discuss marriage.**


	57. Wedding Plans And Other Surprises

**Author's note: I really don't know how to thank you guys for all the support! Really, you can't imagine how much your reviews mean to me! You really all deserve the awards for best reviewers! Thanks for still following this fic, even after so many chapters! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, sucker-4-SMacked, rocksmacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, lily moonlight and SMacked Hard!**

**Chapter 57: Wedding Plans And Other Surprises**

The bright sunshine of yet another lovely day in fall was perfectly mirroring Lindsay's mood. With a smile on her face, she was walking down the streets on her way to Stella's studio. And like so many times lately, she felt nothing else but happiness.

There had been a time a couple of months ago where everything seemed to have been completely different. Back then, she had woken up every day with feeling a fear that had been paralysing her. Would her ex-fiancé beat her up again? Would she have to find another explanation for backing off and not allowing him to get too close to her? After all she had been successful; never had Daniel Katums been able to touch her in an intimate way. But still he had beaten her up every day and she hadn't been able to do much against that.

This fear had stuck with her for quite a while. Until she had been rescued by the man she had now married. Now no fear was bugging her, even her nightmares had finally stopped. Lindsay knew that somewhere along the line, she would still think about this man; she couldn't forget about what he had done to her that easily. But she was loved by Danny now and he would make sure she wouldn't get hurt by anyone again.

And apart from that, he was doing a lot more to make her happy. Many times, Lindsay had imagined how being a wife would feel like. Now that Danny was her husband, she felt like her imagination hadn't been naive at all. He was treating her the way she believed she deserved it and the knowledge of being loved was a gift she was grateful for.

Lindsay had to admit that she had a lot of other things than work in mind. Her cheeks flushed lightly as she thought about how she would rather like to spend some private, intimate time with him now that both of them were allowed to be together officially. She knew Stella wouldn't have minded.

But anyway heading to the studio was exciting for her as well. Still Lindsay found it difficult to believe that she and Stella would be working together. They would have their own fashion label; something Lindsay had never expected to have. The fashion world was mostly dominated by men; it was the same problem for women, no matter which job they had.

Anyway Stella had made herself a well known fashion designer and obviously she was convinced that with Lindsay's ideas and talent, she would be even more successful.

So she was tickling with anticipation as she unlocked the door to the loft with the key Stella had given to her. Immediately she was greeted by the familiar smell of new fabric and something that was just unique for this place. The studio had always been a place where Lindsay had loved to go to and imagining that now this would be her working place almost seemed like a dream.

"Stella?" she asked as she entered the loft and locked the door behind her. Both women had learnt from the trouble with Frankie Mala and they would make sure no one would get a chance to have a look at their work again.

"Lindsay!" Stella shouted from the depth of the studio and a second later, her friend appeared in the room, with a bright smile and carrying a stack of large papers. "You're just in time, I got the new logo. Doesn't it look fantastic?"

With that, she turned one of the papers around and Lindsay's eyes widened in awe. In the middle of the paper, in elegant letters, she found the words 'StellaLindsay Fashion' printed.

"Beautiful," she exclaimed, taking the paper from Stella to examine it. Then she looked up at Stella again, finding her friend still smiling. Having a closer look at her friend now though, Lindsay raised her eyebrows lightly. Stella was a woman who smiled a lot. But a smile like that she assumed had to be about more than just the fact that she liked the new logo and the fact they were working together now.

"You're looking very happy today," Lindsay stated. "And something is telling me that although us being partners now isn't the only reason for that."

"Maybe it is the fact that my friend is now a married woman and happy?" Stella asked back and Lindsay knew she was trying to shift the attention away from herself. "I wonder why you came over already because I think you could have taken a few more days off."

Lindsay didn't fall for Stella's attempt to change the topic though. "Tell me what it is," she said instead. "What's making you so excited and happy? Let me guess, it has to do with Mac?"

The moment Stella's smile grew even wider, Lindsay knew she had been right. She also knew she didn't have to say more and just a moment later, Stella indeed wasn't able to hold the recent news back.

"Mac asked me to marry him," she blurted out in a breath.

Lindsay stared back at her friend, needing a second to process what she had just heard. "He did...what?" she asked for confirmation.

Stella laughed. "He proposed. Yesterday. We were talking about marriage and how happy we are for the two of you and suddenly it all came out and he told me he wants to marry me."

"So you...you will...be a wife as well soon? You and Mac will...get married?" At the realisation of what Stella had shared with her, once again strong excitement filled Lindsay. "Stella, that is so fantastic!"

"It is, isn't it?" Stella exclaimed.

"Absolutely!" Dropping the plans on the table next to her, Lindsay rushed over to Stella and embraced her in happiness. "Those are such wonderful news. I always knew you two are perfect for each other."

"Just like I knew you and Danny are perfect for each other, Lindsay," Stella replied ad winked at her friend as she released her from her tight embrace. "It seems like we really got what we've been dreaming of."

"Yes, and I think we really deserve it," Lindsay agreed.

Stella nodded. Once again she embraced Lindsay. Danny and Mac were those men they had been dreaming of all the time. Her friend was a wife and soon she would be one as well. And sharing this excitement was making it even more enjoyable.

--------

It was still early in the morning when Danny entered the office of his boss Mac after knocking at the door briefly. He found his boss sitting at his desk, looking up when he walked in and almost automatically walked over to him and sat down in the chair across of him.

"Why do you knock when you come in anyway?" Mac asked, playfully raising his eyebrows at his friend.

Danny smirked. "How often do you want to ask me that? You know I will never change that."

"True," Mac agreed. "But then tell me, why are you here? I wouldn't have minded if you took some time off after your wedding."

It was Danny's turn to raise his eyebrows. "Mac, if you don't want me to be here, just let me know."

Mac laughed. "As if I wouldn't want you here. I'm actually glad you didn't take some time off, but how about your honeymoon?"

"That's a surprise," Danny answered and although no one else was in the room, he lowered his voice. "Lindsay thinks we don't have time for that, but in fact I'm already planning on it. I want to surprise her with that."

"That sounds like a very good plan to me," Mac said with a smile. "Let me know if you need any help."

"Trust me, Mac. I might get back to you on that," Danny answered. Still with raised eyebrows, he was studying his boss, who was still smiling. It wasn't something unusual that Mac was smiling; especially since he was together with Stella, his friend seemed to be a lot happier. But smiling in a way like that was new to him.

"Did something happen?" he wanted to know. "And don't say no. I can see that, Mac. I know you long enough to know when something is up. Not that I want to be curious or anything."

Once again Mac laughed. "You aren't curious, don't you worry. Yes, something happened indeed. Stella and I will get married."

"What?" Danny glanced back at Mac in surprise. "Are you making fun of me or...are you serious?"

Danny's obvious surprise caused Mac to laugh even more. "Is that so hard to believe?" he wanted to know.

"No, I didn't mean it like that," Danny answered. "But...you...I mean."

"Yes, Danny," Mac replied in amusement. "I asked Stella to marry me. Isn't that what you wanted me to do anyway?"

"Of course!" Danny exclaimed. "Mac, that's wonderful! I was hoping you would decide to make this step again. You and Stella, you fit together so perfectly. Didn't I tell you that the great love happened to you again with her?"

Mac chuckled at Danny's words. "Yes, you did. It seems like sometimes you and I know each other better than we know ourselves."

Danny laughed in agreement. "I'd say you're fully right with that." He paused. "You and Stella will get married. That's simply fantastic!"

"A while back you wouldn't have thought being married is such a great thing," Mac said.

Danny couldn't help but blush lightly at his friend's words. "Yeah, I know, I know. But how could I have known that being married can be so wonderful? I thought it's something that just doesn't suit me."

"You just had to meet the right woman," Mac replied. "It's not easy to find this one special person and I'm glad you realised you found her and listened to your heart instead of ignoring your feelings."

"Yeah, sometimes even I make good decisions," Danny answered with a wink. "But Mac, I'm really happy for you. I agree with Lindsay that the two of you are meant to be together, like us. If you need any help with preparing the wedding, ask me. After all you did for me, I think it's only fair."

"Really? But I thought we were even now; you got me out of prison and I helped with the wedding," Mac teased, causing Danny to laugh again. He liked this new side of his boss a lot. There had been many times where Mac had been very distant towards him and anyone else, dealing with his thoughts and feelings all by his own. Now Mac was a lot more open and Danny was glad that after all those months and years, his friend seemed to be truly happy again.

"I think soon we won't chat about elections and all that political stuff anymore during our lunch breaks," he said then. "But instead we'll exchange stories of how it's like to be married men."

"I'm very much looking forward to that already," Mac replied in agreement. "But now I'd suggest we go back to work. We have our own little families to pay for, so we should earn the needed money."

Danny sighed playfully. "Yeah, sure. Okay, let's see who needs some great private investigators."

Once again Mac laughed and Danny smiled. He had noticed how much Stella and Lindsay had made them both change. In a good way. It was the feeling of being loved and loving someone back that was so amazing to the both of them. Both men agreed that being married was a gift and they would make sure to make their wives as happy as they made them. Of course they had to work hard for staying happy like that; a marriage didn't stay perfect without them doing something for that. But due to their strong love for those women, they didn't have a doubt that this would be something they could handle.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay talk about Mac's and Stella's wedding and about honeymoons. Meanwhile Sid is receiving a letter with strange content.**


	58. Unexpected Greetings And Romantic Wishes

**Author's note: I would really love to hug you all! I don't know if you're reading my author's note, but I thank you so incredibly much for all the support! It means so much to me! Huge thanks for reading and reviewing! I hope you'll continue that because there is a lot more planned for this story! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, sucker-4-SMacked, SMacked Hard, Storywriter, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rocksmacked, Hannah554 and lily moonolight!**

**Chapter 58: Unexpected Greetings And Romantic Wishes**

"Sidney, did you look if the postman came around already?" Dana asked from the kitchen. She was preparing lunch, currently cutting some vegetables.

"I'll have a look now," Sid answered, a bright smile on his face.

Even though it was nothing special and something every husband got to see, for him it was a lovely sight to see his wife taking care of him. It reminded him of the time back in Montana.

The time on the farm. Thinking about that as Sid was walking down the stairs to the mailbox, he found himself speeding up his steps at the rush of happiness that filled him. When he and Dana had decided they wanted to have their own farm and start a life away from the places where they had grown up and where people hadn't been too happy about their relationship, it had felt like a big adventure to him.

It had indeed been one. Very soon, Sid and Dana had gotten married and then decided that they wanted to have a child. Together with Lindsay, they had been living on their small farm, somewhere nowhere in the country of Montana. Situations had been tough sometimes, but anyway they had been happy.

There had been many times in which Sid had regretted his decision to move to New York with his little family. He had wanted them to have an easier and better life where they didn't have to worry about money anymore. Instead things had gotten even more complicated.

But all that was counting to the past now. Sid and Dana had gotten a second chance as a couple and he was more than determined to use it and make sure they would stay happy this time. He had to admit a lot had gotten easier for him since he was no longer running after his job as if it was everything that was mattering in his life. Thanks to his wife and daughter, he had gotten back to his former self; a man who wanted nothing else but being part of a happy family.

In a great mood, Sid arrived at the mailbox. He grabbed the stack of letters he found in the metallic box and headed upstairs. Without really paying attention, he went through the post which, like usually, mostly contained bills. Almost he missed the one white letter, with his name written on it in a rough handwriting. Almost.

Sid couldn't tell why this letter had caught his attention. Something about the handwriting and a strange instinct he couldn't even name made him put the bills away and open the white, clean envelope. Inside he found a single white sheet. The first words he overflew.

Until the content of the letter found its way into his mind and his eyes widened in confusion. Over and over again, he read the written words, feeling his discomfort increasing every time. He didn't know what to think about those words. Those words that were threatening his person. And he had absolutely no idea who had sent him those words.

"_Doctor Hammerback,_

_for a long while now I'm following the career of a man who came from the country to become one of the most famous doctors of this city. Everyone sees the smiling man with his wife and daughter who seems to be the definition of a good person. But how many persons actually know who you are? Not too many I might assume. You might believe your decisions are right. Not everyone agrees with you though._

_You'll hear from me soon."_

In disbelief, Sid was staring at the letter. He tried to remember if he had seen this particular handwriting before but he couldn't think of any person, it didn't even seem familiar to him. The content itself was confusing Sid as well. He knew he was no perfect man; who could say that about themselves? What exactly this person was referring though he didn't understand.

But although the letter was nothing else but confusing, Sid felt a strong discomfort feeling him as shudders of insecurity were running down his spine.

"Did we receive anything important?" Dana wanted to know.

Snapping out of his confusion forcefully, Sid looked up, finding his wife leaning in the doorway of the kitchen with a questioning look.

"Oh, no, just the usual bills," he answered, trying to offer her a smile. Dana glanced back at him, only lightly raising her eyebrows at him. Sid didn't know whether she believed him or not, but he didn't dare to say more, fearing to reveal the strong confusion he was dealing with at the moment. He knew he was supposed to let her know about this letter, even if it meant nothing. But something was causing him to hesitate.

"Alright," she stated then and headed back into the kitchen.

Sid remained standing in the living room, staring at the kitchen door. He knew better than to have secrets in front of his wife. But he couldn't bring himself to mention the letter. Because something was telling him that there was more behind this letter than he was currently seeing and he was afraid to pull her into it.

----------

For Lindsay, spending lunch break with Danny was the best she could think of. No matter if she was at the university or at Stella's studio. Always she found the time to head over to the office building where her husband was working to pick him up, or he appeared, with a broad smile, greeting her with a gentle kiss that never failed to fill her with a wonderful warmth.

Lunch break didn't always mean the couple was going to a restaurant though. At the beginning, Danny had believed that he had to take Lindsay out for a romantic lunch to every restaurant he could think of. Soon she had shown him though that she didn't have to sit at a table and didn't have a waitress to bring her food to enjoy a lunch break together with him.

This time was no exception. Immediately a smile lit Lindsay's face as she left the studio, meeting Danny waiting for her outside of it.

"Hello," he greeted her, giving her a gentle kiss. "How is your day so far, my beautiful wife?"

"Oh, you can't imagine how fantastic it is!" Lindsay started, her full excitement shining through. "Stella and I are working on a new collection and while she was drawing some new ones, she asked me to make orders for new fabric. I could choose whatever I thought would fit to the dresses she thought of. That was so exciting!"

Danny's smile widened at her words. He loved to see his wife getting excited because of something like that. When Stella had asked Lindsay to work together with her, he had been just as happy and excited as her. In his eyes, this was a wonderful chance for his wife. She had a talent for choosing fabric and creating dresses and he knew that having her own fashion label with her friend was one of many of her dreams coming true.

"So I guess your first day at work was nice?" he asked.

Lindsay nodded eagerly. "Absolutely, it was fantastic." She blushed lightly. "But how rude of me, I didn't even ask how your day was. Was it nice?"

"You mean going through a giant stack of files for the entire morning?" Danny asked with a wink at Lindsay. "Yes, very exciting."

Lindsay chuckled, gently smacking his arm. "Sarcasm? That's not how a gentleman talks."

Danny laughed, resting his arm around her waist as he led her onto the sidewalk. "Apart from those boring files though, something interesting happened indeed. Mac told me about something you'd like to know as well."

"You mean that he and Stella will get married?" Lindsay wanted to know.

"What?" Danny glanced at her in surprise. "You know that already?"

It was Lindsay's turn to laugh. "You know, I'm working together with one part of this lovely couple. Stella told me about it. Isn't this wonderful? Our two friends will get married. I always knew they fit together perfectly."

"So it looks like once again your match making was more than successful," Danny teased her gently.

Lindsay raised her eyebrows playfully at his words. "Me and match making? Never."

Danny chuckled, holding her a little closer. "You're a wonderful person for doing that. You want your friends to be happy and you seem to have a good taste when it comes to finding people who fit together. Now see, one of those couples will get married soon. Didn't I tell you that you shouldn't be worried because you interfered here?"

Lindsay blushed at his words, smiling shyly. "I know you told me so but I also know that I often interfere too much."

"Not when it comes to making people realise how great they are together," Danny said softly. "And to make them as happy and we are."

"Aww, aren't you adorable?" Placing a quick kiss onto his cheek, Lindsay snuggled closer against his side. "It's still such a wonderful feeling, to know you and I are a married couple now. I can imagine Stella and Mac won't be feeling any different."

Danny nodded in agreement. "I guess you could be right with that. I already offered Mac to help him if he needs anything. I'm glad he decided to get married again, I have to admit I was a bit worried when he and Stella got together that he would refuse to make this step again."

"I could understand him," Lindsay replied. "After all he went through with what happened with Claire. But obviously Stella made him fall in love again so much that he feels the wish to get married again. I was hoping they would do that because I know Stella has always been dreaming of a wedding, we chatted about that so many times. She wanted the perfect man for that and in my eyes Mac is this man."

"Seems like everyone is getting what they want now," Danny said satisfied and instinctively tightened his gentle grip around his wife.

"Yes, now I only have one more wish," Lindsay told him. "But I understand that it has to wait."

"What is your wish?" Danny wanted to know.

Lindsay sighed softly. "It really doesn't matter, believe me. I'm happy that we're married now and every day we spend together is perfect like this. I don't have to go on vacation with you or anything. But...well, still I wish we could go on a honeymoon soon. It's just part of getting married. I know we have a lot to do at the moment and I can wait, but I really hope we will get our honeymoon. Imagine, only you and I together, somewhere at a beautiful place where no one can interrupt us. A romantic place. After all the stress we had to face lately, I think we deserve that."

"I fully agree with you on that," Danny said, trying to hide his own excitement at the mention of a honeymoon. "At the moment a lot is going on, but I promise that we will have our honeymoon, and it will be exactly like you're imagining it. A perfect and romantic vacation."

In happiness he saw how her smile grew even wider and she squeezed his arm gently. "That would be fantastic, I'm already looking forward to it so badly."

"So do I," he replied. "And now let's decide where we'll have lunch. I heard there is a really nice restaurant not far away from here. Or would you rather like to have a little snack in Central Park?"

"Why don't we go to the restaurant later?" she asked. "And now we have a snack at the park. The weather is so beautiful and I think before it gets cold, we should use the warmth for a few walks during our lunch break."

"Sounds fantastic," he agreed.

Danny was glad that Lindsay had willingly changed the topic. He wanted to surprise her with the honeymoon. He knew her good enough to know what she wanted and how their perfect honeymoon would look like. He would arrange everything and he was convinced it would be just like she was imagining it.

**Preview: Mac and Stella talk about getting married. Lindsay meets Dana. Sid visits Danny at his office because of the letters he is receiving.**


	59. Confessions

**Author's note: I have to say I still can't believe that a oneshot series actually turned out to be such a long fic, and then even an AU one. And why? Because my muse is overactive but also because of all your support! Thank you so much to all of you who are reading and reviewing, because it means so much to me and it makes me want to write more and more and more! Thank you! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rocksmacked, rapidtetv, lily moonlight, SMacked Hard and saturn567!**

**Chapter 59: Confessions**

In amusement Stella watched Mac who was lost in reading the newspaper. He loved to read the news or listen to the radio. Then it could happen that he didn't realise when someone else was in the room.

"Is there anything very interesting in your newspaper?" she asked him as she joined him on the living room couch. Finally noticing her presence, Mac snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his girlfriend who chuckled at his reaction.

"The newspapers are full of the upcoming presidential election. It seems like nothing else is happening in the world at the moment," Mac sighed.

Stella smiled. "Well, but from what you said you're quite interested in that yourself."

"Sure I am," Mac admitted. With a smile of himself he added, "At least I'm more interested in it than Danny."

Stella laughed. "Is that so? I think Lindsay will convince him that he has to use his voice to make something happen."

"I agree with you," Mac answered. "Speaking of Danny, I hope you don't mind that I told him about our wedding. He noticed that something must have happened and I didn't want to lie at him."

"Oh, of course that is fine with me!" Stella replied. "I also couldn't help but let Lindsay know that you proposed. This is a topic we have been discussing and dreaming about ever since childhood and she is so excited for us."

Mac nodded. "I think everyone will be when we let the others know. It is a wonderful event and I think just like you and I knew Danny and Lindsay would get married soon, I suspect our friends felt the same way about us."

Stella nodded. To Mac's surprise, no other response followed though and so he gazed up at her once again. He found an expression in her eyes that hadn't been there before and he was confused by where it had suddenly come from.

"What is it?" he wanted to know.

Stella shook her head. "Nothing special. There was just this thought that came to my mind. It's fine."

"Would you share this thought with me?" Mac asked. He was glad that he didn't need much afford to make Stella say what she had in mind; she trusted in him and was usually very open about her feelings.

"I'm just wondering if you are really sure about your proposal," she admitted then. "I know you said you couldn't think of anything more wonderful than getting married. But now a day later I was wondering if you still are so determined or if you are slowly starting to doubt that your decision to ask me to marry you was right."

Even before she had spoken her thoughts out, Mac had had a suspicion of what was going on inside his fiancee's mind. He could understand her worries; there had indeed been times where Mac had been sure he would never get married again, but back then he hadn't known Stella yet.

"Don't you worry that I wouldn't ever change my mind about my wish to get married to you," he reassured her, gently taking her hands into his to emphasize his words. "I know that I want this, Stella. I want to be together with you. I want to marry you. I don't have any doubts here. Believe me, please. I want to be married with you. Just trust in me, will you?"

Closely, Mac watched Stella for any kind of reaction that could indicate whether she had understood and believed him or not. To his relief a smile lit her face just a moment later and she nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Mac," she answered. "I hope you don't think that I was doubting what you said. I just wanted to make sure that after sleeping over it, no second thoughts had come to you."

"There aren't any and there won't ever be any," Mac said. "Because I know I want to marry you for a while now. It was no spontaneous decision. I invested some thinking into it."

"That means you're sure." Stella's smile widened. "Lindsay said that you and I are perfect for each other, which is why she wanted us to get together. I think she is right."

Mac nodded in agreement. "She is right. And I don't have a doubt we'll be as happy together as Danny and Lindsay."

"I agree. We will," Stella replied.

Mac nodded and gave her a gentle kiss before he turned his attention back to his newspaper. Stella watched him, still smiling. She was glad she had asked her question, because now she knew it for sure; he didn't have doubts. Like her.

* * *

"Good morning," Dana greeted Lindsay when her daughter opened the door. The women embraced before Lindsay led her mother inside.

"Good morning," she greeted back. "It's great that you came over for breakfast this time."

Dana smiled. "You know I love to come to this place where we met again after all those years. And where you seem to be so happy. What is this smell though? That's so delicious."

Lindsay nodded with a smile as she and her mother sat down on the living room couch and she started to fill the cups she had prepared for the two of them earlier. "Your favourite coffee. Danny surprised me with buying it because I told him I like it a lot myself. I thought you would like to drink some here."

"How lovely of him to buy that for you. I love such little surprises," Dana said, taking a sip from the warm liquid. "Oh, it's so good."

"It is," Lindsay agreed. "And you're also perfectly right about the surprises. I love it when Danny listens to me and keeps in mind what I'm saying. And then he does all those little sweet things for me. It's wonderful."

"That reminds me of your father," Dana answered. "In the past he has already done that and since we're back together, he seems to use every possible chance to surprise me with something nice. It shows us that our husbands actually think about us and care for what we like."

"Which is very rare," Lindsay admitted. "We can be really glad to have such wonderful husbands."

Dana nodded in response. Once again she took a sip of her coffee, but this time she had caught Lindsay's attention. Although they hadn't seen each other for many years, there was still a strong connection between Lindsay and Dana and just the tiniest hint was enough for her to know that her mother had something in mind. She had felt that the older woman wanted to tell her something ever since she had seen her in front of her apartment door, but now that they were sitting next to each other and Dana all of the sudden didn't reply to a question although she usually always did was telling Lindsay that her mother was bothered by something.

"Is everything alright?" Lindsay asked. "Please don't say 'yes'. I'm no child anymore."

Dana smiled softly at her daughter's words. "I know, my dear. But I can reassure you, your father and I didn't have a fight or anything like that."

"Then what else is bothering you?" Lindsay wanted to know.

Dana glanced back at her for a couple of moments, unsure on what to reply. She knew she could talk to her daughter though, as much as the young woman could talk to her. She was a grown up woman and on many topics they agreed.

"I think Sidney is hiding something in front of me," she said then. "I don't know it for sure, but he is acting strangely lately. Usually he is in a good mood, but lately it seems like he feels uncomfortable and worried. I asked him a couple of times if everything is alright with him but he says he is fine."

"I see." Lindsay nodded. "Do you have any suspicion what could be wrong? Maybe he's just having a lot of stress at work?"

But Dana shook her head. "I know how he is when he has a lot to do at work. I think something is concerning him and that worries me. We have been so very close since we got together again and I don't want him to pull back and believe that he can't come and talk to me about every topic that could be a problem for him."

"I understand," Lindsay said. "Well, I don't know what could be up either. I think all I can suggest is that you keep on asking him until he tells you what is wrong. Even though he knows it, keep on reminding him that you'll be there for him, no matter what it is that is concerning him. I'm sure that will help him."

"I hope so, I really do," Dana sighed.

"You will keep on telling me about whether you're successful or not, right?" Lindsay asked.

Dana smiled at her daughter and nodded. "Of course I will. Thank you for listening to me."

"Anytime," she replied with a smile of herself.

Lindsay was glad that her mother had made the step to talk to her about something that was bothering her; just like she had often talked about Danny with her. She knew that Sid sometimes had a problem with sharing his worries with people and rather sorted them out on his own. She hoped that Dana would be able to convince him that asking for support was fine as well.

* * *

Danny was sitting at his desk. He was in his office for over an hour now but so far he hadn't been able to get any work done. Instead he was staring at the photo that was resting in front of him in a beautiful yet simple frame. A picture of him and Lindsay that had been taken after their wedding.

He didn't know how many times and for how long he had been staring at this picture. But he couldn't help it. Still he was in awe because of how beautiful his wife had looked like on this special day.

In amusement, Danny shook his head. He was amazed by how much his opinion about being a married man had changed. Now he was admiring his wife and couldn't wait to get back home to the woman who he loved more than anything or anyone before. Being a husband was the most beautiful role he could see himself in and he was glad he had made this huge step. Although he had to admit that since he was together with Lindsay, marriage had been a lot more interesting than before.

So lost in his thoughts he almost jumped up from his chair at the knocking at his door.

"Yes, please?" he asked, pressing a hand against his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart down again. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw his visitor. "Sid?"

"Good morning, Danny," Sid greeted the private investigator. He entered the room, stopped near the door though, seemingly hesitant. "I hope I'm not disturbing you as I know you're busy with all your other clients."

"No, currently I'm good," Danny answered, raising his eyebrows lightly at the behaviour of the man he knew so well by now. "Is something wrong, Sid?"

"That's why I came here," Sid answered, his expression in an instant turning concerned. In a way like that, Danny hadn't seen him ever since the problems with Katums. Immediately he found himself getting worried as well.

"Then sit down and tell me what led you to my office," he suggested.

Sid nodded. He hesitated for another second before he decided that his decision had been fine and he walked over to the chair across of Danny. He sat down, but still it took him at least another minute before he could speak out what he had in mind.

"I'm here because I indeed have a problem," he said quietly. "But this has to stay between you and me as I don't want my wife to get worried for possibly nothing or anyone else to find out why I'm here."

"Of course," Danny answered, forcing down the nervousness Sid's words caused. "Whatever you tell me has to stay between us as I'm not allowed to talk about whatever information you share with me except you allow me to do so."

"Thank you." Once again Sid hesitated. Danny stayed quiet, watching the father of his wife closely. He could understand that Sid didn't find it easy to be open to him; this behaviour he knew only too well from himself.

But then Sid took a deep breath and after another short moment of mentally reassuring that he had decided to talk to his son-in-law was right.

"I'm receiving letters," he explained then. "Letters in which someone is referring to me not being a good person. Those letters got more and more personal and in the last one the writer threatened me. I didn't pay too much attention to them. But this last one...it really gets me worried."

"May I see them?" Danny wanted to know.

Sid nodded. "Yes." He handed the letters over to Danny. "I know you surely won't know who is sending those and I also don't know if I should take them serious. But I think you dealt with such situations before and I would like to know your opinion."

Danny nodded. Of course he was more than willing to help Sid; like he had supported him and Lindsay so many times as well. He unfolded the letter and quickly read over the few lines. What he got to see though made him realise one fact immediately; Sid would need his help.

**Preview: While Danny and Sid talk about the letters, Lindsay and Adam discover a new secret. Also Hawkes and Aiden meet again.**


	60. A Lot Of News

**Author's note: And again I want to send you all huge thanks for the wonderful reviews! Thank you so much for all the support! Now we'll get to see more of Sid's problem but there's another storyline coming up also. ;) Yep, I have a lot planned for this fic and I hope you'll continue to follow it! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, saturn567, rocksmacked and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 60: A Lot Of News**

"I really don't know what all this is about," Sid said with a worried sigh. "I didn't take those letter serious at first, but...somehow they got me concerned anyway. What if this person plans on getting close to my family because...I don't even know why anyone should wish to do that."

Danny winced at Sid's worries, causing his own concern to rise. The letters indeed didn't sound friendly. All of them were anonymous, not signed or anything which was no surprise to him. From what Danny could tell, the writer had tried to fake his handwriting so it couldn't be compared to his or her real one; the letters were written with extreme care. In all letters, Sid was attacked for being a doctor and for going with the time instead of sticking to traditional kinds of medicine.

"I wonder what I have done wrong," Sid stated.

"I don't believe you've done anything wrong," Danny answered, looking up at his worried father-in-law. "To me this sounds like whoever wrote this has a problem with the way you work. Sounds almost like they have something against the proceedings in medicine."

"But I have to go with those proceedings," Sid replied. "I can't just rely on traditional and alternative medicine as often they can't help the patients. If I have other ways to help them, I have to use them. I swore an oath, I can't ignore that!"

"No one says you should do what the writer of this letter wants you to do," Danny tried to reassure him. "See, they are attacking you and acting like what you do is bad and is criminal. It's their strange opinion, but it has nothing to do with what you should do. We don't want to change what you're doing to please those people, we want to make sure that they will be caught by us and won't no longer threaten you. I have the feeling that you're also not the only one who has to suffer from those letters. Maybe we can find out if other of your colleagues got something similar."

"Actually I would rather not want anyone to know that I'm receiving those letters. This includes my wife and my daughter but also my colleagues," Sid admitted.

Danny nodded. "I know and I can fully understand you. Regarding your wife and daughter, I think you should soon let them know as I believe they might already sense something is wrong. Regarding your colleagues, there are many other ways for me to get information from them without revealing that you received such letters."

Sid looked relieved. "Thank you, that is good to know. I might try to tell Dana and Lindsay about it but...first I would like to know what is really going on."

"I can fully understand that," Danny replied.

"I only hope that Dana won't believe I'm pulling away from her again or not trusting in her or anything like that," Sid let him know. "Our relationship just got back to the way it is supposed to be and I don't want to risk that. I also need time to share with her that I'm receiving those letters."

"I think she will understand it," Danny said. "Of course I can't know that for sure and I also won't tell you that she will be happy about the fact that you didn't share this with her. But from how I know Dana, she will understand. Sometimes it isn't so easy to share information with the ones you love because you don't want to concern them. Anyway I believe you should let her know very soon." He glanced at the letter again before he added, "Would you mind if we talked to Mac about that? Of course it is just a feeling and I wouldn't mind to work on this alone with you, but to me it seems there is more behind those letters than we know so far and I would be glad if we had some support of my boss."

Sid nodded. "Of course that is fine to me, Mr. Taylor is a great man and I believe he would be a good support here. But I would be glad if he was the only one apart from you who knows. You two have to keep it silent, but I fear that the more people know about it the bigger is the chance that people will hear from it who aren't supposed to. I really don't want this to appear in the newspaper."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Danny answered. He had to admit he found it difficult not to tell Lindsay about what he knew. He respected Sid's wish though and with Mac's help he believed they would find answers for the open questions.

* * *

Sheldon loved the Angell's café more and more with every time he went there. But lately his love for this place had increased ever since a certain woman had decided she loved to be there as well. A young woman with a dream he knew too well from himself.

Once again he was sitting at his favourite table in a corner of the café, near the window. From there he had a perfect view at the street and the people passing by. Due to his work as a doctor, Sheldon got in contact with people every day. Anyway he enjoyed to watch people, especially when they didn't know they were watched. People behaved a lot different then and to him this was very interesting.

Barely a few minutes he had been sitting at his table, looking out of the window when a bright smile lit his face the moment he spotted her.

Aiden had just walked around a corner and was now walking down the street that led to the café. Sheldon's smile grew with every step she got closer to the place and like a couple of times before, he found himself amazed by the young woman.

She was dressed like every other woman in New York; a plain skirt, a blouse and a light jacket, her long, dark hair bond up into a bun. She looked beautiful with her bright smile and those sparkling dark eyes. The way she was walking was different to other women though. There was a determination and self confidence in her steps which he had rarely seen so far. It reminded him of Lindsay, Stella, Jessica and Dana; all women with a lot of self confidence, who wouldn't allow men to dictate them what to do.

Aiden seemed to be like that as well; possibly the reason why she had gotten divorced again after going through a marriage with a man who had treated her like she was just an object that belonged to him.

As he kept on watching Aiden, Sheldon found himself glad that she had allowed herself to get out of this relationship again. Getting divorced usually was something no woman was supposed to do and he assumed that back home she had to suffer a lot because of that. Usually it was the woman whose fault a divorce was and even though her husband had treated her bad, it was no reason for her to step up against him. Those times were what made Sheldon believe that although society seemed to change so fast, they still had a long and rocky way to reach times in which men and women would be treated equally. Even though they finally had gotten the right to vote, they still had to face different conditions in almost every part of their lives.

With Aiden though, Sheldon didn't worry that she would get into a violent relationship again. Surprised he realised his heart started to beat faster when she entered the café. Immediately her eyes darted over to where he was used to sit and her smile seemed to grow even bigger when she spotted him. Quickly she made her way over to his table and this time without asking sat down across of him.

"Hello Sheldon," she greeted him. They had agreed to use each other's forenames. "I was hoping to meet you here."

"Really?" Sheldon couldn't help but smile himself. "That is a nice coincidence because I was hoping you would come around."

Aiden chuckled. "It seems like the saying 'great minds think alike' is very fitting here."

Sheldon nodded. "Indeed it is." He watched her for a moment. "I have the feeling you have news to tell?"

"Yes, I do," Aiden answered and her eyes sparkled even more. "I decided I will definitely stay here and everything is arranged already. My parents will stay here for another while as well but then will head back to Italy. I will stay here though."

"You will? Those are fantastic news!" Sheldon exclaimed.

Aiden nodded. "They are, aren't they? And all because you gave me the confidence to follow my dream." She hesitated for a second, her cheeks flushing lightly before she added, "Also I wanted to thank you for offering me an internship in your practice. This will be a big chance for me."

"I'm looking forward to having someone like you helping me in my practice," Sheldon said, trying to not reveal that he had a bunch of reasons for wanting her to work for him. "I hope this will clarify for you if this job is really what you're imagining."

"Oh, it surely is," Aiden answered with the determination he knew so well already. It caused Sheldon to get even more excited. He was offering her a big chance and he knew how much it meant to her. He firmly believed that she would make her dream come true and become a famous and fantastic doctor. If he could help her with that, he was more than willing to do so, his own personal reasons aside.

* * *

Although Lindsay loved to work for Stella and helped her with their fashion label, still she wanted to follow her dream and study journalism as she was doing that for a while now. She loved to be at the university, but even more she loved the library.

There was something about libraries she loved. She couldn't tell for sure if this was because of all the various books there, because of the quiet or the very unique smell of paper. It was a wonderful place for her to clear her mind and relax and she loved to spend time there when she wasn't at home with Danny or together with her friends.

Once again she was sitting at one of the tables near the window, an open book in front of her while she was lost in reading one of the newest novels. She didn't hear how a well known person entered the room and when he spotted her, made his way over to her.

"Lindsay?" Adam asked. When she snapped out of her thoughts and turned around to stare at him in surprise, he quickly added, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it is fine, Adam. I was just lost in this book," she answered, offering him a smile and gesturing him to join her at the table. "Are you here to find something new to read as well or are you doing research?"

"I'm doing research," Adam answered, immediately lowering his voice. Lindsay raised her eyebrows.

"Why do I have the feeling that you're after another big mystery here, Adam?" she wanted to know.

Adam smiled. "You know me so well. Yes, I'm indeed after something you can call a mystery. I got information from someone that really got me interested and as I started to dig deeper, I realised that this is definitely a topic I need to work on."

"May I know what you found out?" Lindsay asked. When she saw the unsure look he gave her, she added, "Please, Adam. You know you can trust in me when it comes to secrets and we worked together on an article already. I want to improve and how could I better do that than working together with one of America's best journalists?"

Adam blushed. "Nah, I'm not one of the best. But...well, your trick worked. Alright, I will tell you what I have."

Lindsay chuckled. "That was no trick, I was being honest. But anyway. What is it?"

Once again Adam lowered his voice, making sure no one in the room could hear him. "I got information about a brotherhood that is connected to this university," he answered. "It is a very big group of people already, called the 'Brotherhood of Tradition'. Did you ever hear any student mention them?"

"The Brotherhood of Tradition?" Lindsay shook her head. "Never heard anything like that. That is also a rather strange name."

Adam nodded. "I agree with you fully, Lindsay. From what I found out so far, they're preaching that society has to stick with traditions and that every proceedings are bad. This includes things like radio, television, modern medicine...all that."

"Alright...I understand." Lindsay nodded. "But why do you think such a group is worth so much attention?"

"Because I found out that some people in higher positions are getting threatened by members of this brotherhood. Everyone who is dealing with something that replaces old traditional ways of lifestyle is automatically against them and has to be warned. I have no idea how far this group will really go, but I got to see some of the letters they sent to those people. When you think about how large this brotherhood is already it makes you wonder what they will do if people ignore their threats."

Lindsay stared at Adam in surprise. Like so many times before, the man impressed her with how he had gotten those information. That aside she could understand why he wanted to find out more about this brotherhood.

"Would you mind if I joined you in your investigations?" she asked then. "Please, Adam. I find this very interesting and I promise I'll listen to what you tell me and not do anything stupid or that could be a hindrance for you."

Adam smiled once again. "I know you would be a great help and I would be happy if you joined me. Especially because I believe that maybe we might need the help of your husband when we find out what this brotherhood really is planning."

Lindsay nodded. She was sure Danny would be interested as well. Once again Adam had gotten her excited with the information he had and she had the feeling that this group of students was more than just a few people following the same believes. She was looking forward to a new challenge which they would face together.

**Preview: Danny and Lindsay spend a romantic moment together. More is revealed about the brotherhood. Sid is threatened again.**


	61. New Information

**Author's note: I have been busy with updating all my fics, but now here is a new chapter for you! Thank you so much to all of you who are still reading and reviewing, I hope you'll continue doing that because I love your feedback! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rapidtetv, sucker-4-SMacked, saturn567, SMacked Hard and lily moonlight!**

**Chapter 61: New Information**

It was the early morning sun that woke Danny and Lindsay up. Yawning and stretching, Danny blinked a few times before he opened his eyes. Immediately a bright smile lit his face as he found Lindsay snuggled against him, her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace.

This was the way he wanted to wake up; with his wife cuddling with him. Never he would have imagined that he would fall in love and would think that there was nothing better than having his wife in his bed.

Adjusting their position a bit, Danny allowed his hand to run up and down Lindsay's back while he pushed a few curls out of her face with his other. She stirred lightly before she tightened her grip around him again.

"Good morning," he greeted her softly, placing a kiss onto her forehead.

"Good morning," she greeted back. Squeezing her eyes shut, she yawned before she looked up at him with a sleepy smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I always do," Danny answered, kissing her again before he released a light sigh. "I'm really wishing we could just have a few days or weeks off and could spend all day in bed."

"All day in bed?" Lindsay raised her eyebrows at her husband. "But what are we supposed to do in bed all the time?"

Danny gave her a disbelieving look. "Do you really have to ask that? I think there are a lot of things we can do in here."

"You mean like sleeping in, reading, cuddling or talking?" Lindsay asked, forcing herself to not laugh at the look Danny gave her in response.

"You're making fun of me," he said, playfully shaking his head at her. "Is that how a wife is supposed to treat her husband?"

Lindsay laughed, almost rolling off of him. "I think this would have worked if you hadn't told me so often how much you love that you and I are different to the other married couples."

"That is very true," Danny agreed, kissing her onto the lips this time. The moment Lindsay kissed back, he forgot what else he had wanted to tell her and instead gave in to the softness of her lips and the way she knew so perfectly how to kiss him.

"I think I like your ideas a lot better than mine," she whispered against his lips then. Willingly she let him wrap his arms around her and flip her over so he could pin her into the mattress. "I should have know that you would take that as an invite."

Danny smirked. "Yes, you should have known it. I think some kissing aside, I don't have time for more right now. Stupid duty is calling and in fact I think I'm running late already."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at him. "Don't you call your job stupid, I know how much you love it and it's paying your bills."

Danny chuckled. "Yes, Ma'am, from now on I'll only speak nicely about my job."

Playfully she smacked his arm before she wiggled out from underneath him. "As much as I would love to continue this myself, I have to hurry as well because I have to meet Adam at the library."

"Oh, you meet him?" Danny looked at her in surprise. Immediately an uncomfortable look appeared on Lindsay's face.

"We're just working on something together, it's no private meeting," she answered quickly. "Adam is working on a really big thing and I asked him if I could help him because even if I work with Stella, I still want to work on my career as a journalist as well and I think the best way this works if I participate to such things."

"Hey, Lindsay," he interrupted her softly when she opened her mouth to add more after a little break. "I didn't say anything bad about that at all. I like Adam a lot and by now you should know that I trust in you. I love you, alright? I don't believe that whenever you work together with a man, you'll jump into his bed with him. I know you wouldn't ever do that. So don't you react like I'm about to attack you for daring to work with him. It's fine. I'm not jealous because of that and if I was it would be your right to kick my butt."

Lindsay chuckled relieved. "I'm allowed to kick your butt then?"

Danny winked at her. "Yes, I know, that wasn't fine."

Lindsay laughed. "I didn't mean it's not fine. I just had a mental image of that and I find it quite funny."

"Is that so?" Danny laughed as well. "Then I better beware of what I'm saying next time." Once again he wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her close. He could imagine what kind of feelings and thoughts had been torturing her again, but he wasn't getting tired of telling her that those were unnecessary.

"I want you to stop worrying," he told her then. "No, I know you can't fully stop it yet, but I want you to try it. Try to stop worrying that whenever you do something you believe might be something I'm not too fond off, you believe I could get mad at you. I know you'll tell me now that you trust in me as well and I know you do but you're still struggling with this instinct that's telling you I could beat you up when you do something I don't agree with. This is never going to happen. I would never do anything that would hurt you in any way and I mean it. Also I know I have a problem with jealousy sometimes, but I know I can trust in you; this is something I have to change, not you. So just try to not get afraid whenever you say something or do something. I trust in you and I hope you're trusting in me just as much."

"Of course I do," she answered, looking up at him with a soft smile. "Thanks for reassuring me again."

"You're welcome." He kissed her again. "Now lets hurry though. We'll have to continue this later."

"Oh, we will," she agreed.

Again Danny kissed Lindsay before they got up. Satisfied he noticed that once again he had managed to ease the tension that had immediately been rising. He was glad she trusted in him and he knew he could trust in her just as much.

* * *

When Lindsay arrived at the café, Adam was already awaiting her, a stack of papers lying in front of him next to two cups of steaming hot coffee.

"Good morning," she greeted. "I'm sorry I'm a bit late. I got a bit distracted by my husband." Her cheeks flushed at her own honesty. "I mean...sorry I'm late."

Adam chuckled. "Don't you worry, it's fine. He is alright with his wife working together with a man, isn't he?"

Lindsay nodded as she sat down and thanked him for the cup of coffee he had ordered for her already. "Yes, he is fine with it. He's not like all those other men who want to lock their wives up at home."

"You're really lucky to have such a husband," Adam said impressed.

"I know and I am happy about it," Lindsay agreed with a smile. "So, what did you find for us? Anything new?"

Adam nodded. "Yes, I talked to my informant again. It seems like this brotherhood is more active than I expected so far. And a lot bigger than I expected as well."

"That means?" Lindsay wanted to know.

"That means it's not just a small group of students," he explained, like usually lowering his voice although in their part of the café no one could hear them anyway. "I found out that you can find members in all study courses. They're everywhere and they almost seem to be obsessed with their believes that everything new is horrible and that society should stick with what worked in the past."

"That is crazy. You can't only stick with things from the past," Lindsay replied, shaking her head. "Like with modern medicine. Those proceedings are made to help people. Do you have any idea of how many students are part of this brotherhood."

"A rough number," Adam answered. "My informant told me that there might be more than hundred members."

"What?" Lindsay looked at him in disbelief. "So many? I...didn't expect that at all."

Adam nodded in agreement. "I didn't either. He gave me a few pictures that might be interesting. For example they are wearing special rings." He handed one of the papers to Lindsay.

"Good morning," Jessica suddenly interrupted the conversation as Lindsay wanted to comment on the picture. "It's nice to see you here so early, may I..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes found the picture that was resting on the table in front of her friend.

"Is everything alright?" Lindsay wanted to know.

Jessica nodded. "Yes. It's just...I saw those strange rings here a lot lately."

"Oh?" Adam looked at Jessica in surprise. "You mean men came here who were wearing them?"

Jessica nodded. "From what I heard they wanted to meet more often here from now on because it's so close to the university; I guess they have to be students. They were chatting about...weird things though."

Adam and Lindsay exchanged a quick look before he offered her a chair.

"Jessica, if we let you know what all this is about, would you promise us to keep it fully to yourself?" he wanted to know.

Jessica nodded. "Of course. But...what's so important about those strange men?"

"We found out they belong to a brotherhood," Lindsay explained. "And we believe they're not just innocent students believing in the same things."

"Oh, I see." Jessica nodded. "That would explain what they said."

"We're trying to find out what they're planning to do and we would be grateful for every help," Adam said.

Jessica smiled. "And now you would like me to help you?" When her two friends nodded, her smile widened. "I would love to work together with you. I could maybe pay attention to them next time they show up. But maybe first you tell me what you know already?"

"Of course," Adam said, smiling himself. This unexpected help he hadn't seen coming. From what he had heard so far, he was taking this brotherhood serious; they weren't just a tiny organisation. Every help was welcome and he believed that together they would soon know a lot more.

* * *

Late evening it was when Sid could finally leave his practice and head home. It had been a long and rough day and he was exhausted; so exhausted that he wondered how he was supposed to not fall asleep while walking.

Of course he loved his job. Studying medicine had been the best decision he could have made; he knew that and he would never change his mind. Sometimes though this job was hard and on days like this all he wanted was to arrive at his apartment, go to bed and get the much needed sleep.

Sid sighed lightly as another thought found its way into his mind. Sleep was needed but he wasn't sure if he would get any. Ever since he was receiving those strange letters, he couldn't really rest anymore. For a bit he had tried to ignore the almost daily post, but it didn't work anymore. He was concerned and he had no idea what he should do. That Danny and Mac would help him was a relief, but not wanting to tell Lindsay and Dana about it wasn't easy either. He knew his son-in-law was right though; he couldn't hide it for too long and he had to talk about the letters soon.

So lost in his thoughts, Sid didn't realise he wasn't alone in the seemingly lonely street. The person could approach him with ease. The moment the doctor passed the alley he had chosen to hide in, he decided to make his presence known.

"Good evening, Doctor," a male voice caused Sid to snap out of his thoughts. Turning around to where the voice had come from, he froze. He found himself facing a person, around his height, fully in black clothes with a mask covering his face. For a moment Sid wondered whether he should either run or scream for help. He had no idea what the man would do then though and so he stood in place.

"Good...evening," he replied, forcing his voice to not reveal his fear too much. "Who...are you? If you want my wallet or anything, you can have it."

The man laughed coldly. "This is a common believe among you rich people, right? That all we want is your money. No, that's not why I'm talking to you." He made a few steps towards Sid. "I think you got a lot letters lately, am I right, Doctor?"

Sid shuddered at the mention of the letters. For him there was no second of doubting this person was well aware of them. "Did you send them?" he managed to ask.

The man shrugged. "Maybe?" He was standing only a few inches away from Sid now. "It also doesn't matter. I just want to remind you of something. Stay away from the police. They won't be any help for you anyway. You read what we're expecting from you and if you don't want me to look out for you again, you do what we've told you." The man's hand disappeared in the pocket of his jacket just to return with an object that caused Sid's eyes to widen.

"I'm sure you don't want to get yourself into trouble, Doctor," he said, playing with the long knife that was illuminated by the street lights. "Your patients surely wouldn't be happy if something happened to their favourite doctor." He let the knife disappear in his pocket again. "You got me, Doctor. Stay away from the police and do what we told you. Then you'll be fine." He stared at him for a moment before he turned around. "See you, Doctor." And with a last wave, the man disappeared as quickly as he had shown up.

Sid remained standing on the sidewalk, staring at where the man had disappeared again for several minutes before he was able to move again. He hadn't missed the ring that had been attached to the hand that had waved at him. And as frightened as he had been during this meeting, now he was even more determined to get help from the two private investigators. Because those letters no longer were fun anymore.

**Preview: Sid tells Danny and Mac about the person who met him. Thanks to Adam's informant, Lindsay finds out some interesting information.**


	62. Twists And Turns

**Author's note: Aww, wow, how can I thank you enough for all the support and all the wonderful reviews? I think a new update is a good start to show you how happy your feedback makes me! Thank you so much! I'm glad you keep on reading and reviewing this story, even after so many chapters, and there will be many more! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, sucker-4-SMacked, SMacked Hard, Storywriter, rocksmacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rapidtetv, lily moonlight and ImaSupernaturalCSI!**

**Chapter 62: Twists And Turns**

Danny had to admit that the information he had gotten from Sid made him feel slightly uncomfortable. There was a reason why he wasn't allowed to talk about anything his clients told him about; it was the only way to build up trust between him and them. But knowing that Sid was receiving those letters and not being allowed to tell Lindsay about it was a different story. It wasn't like he was lying, but still this was a situation he didn't enjoy at all.

At least he still had Mac who he could talk to though. Sighing deeply, he made his way to the room next to his. With the usual knocking to announce his presence, he entered the room. Like expected, Mac was sitting at his desk, looking up as his friend walked inside, smiling.

"You don't have to knock every time you come over," he said. "Especially as you don't wait for me to let you in anyway."

Danny smiled back lightly. "Sorry, next time I'll keep that in mind." He saw how Mac raised an eyebrow at his words, knowing his boss had once again managed to read his mind.

"What happened?" he wanted to know.

"Why do you think something happened?" Danny asked back. He walked over to Mac's desk and sat down in the chair across of him with a deep sigh.

Mac's eyebrows raised even more. "You ask why I believe that? Because everything in your behaviour is telling me that. You come over here in the middle of your shift, you don't give me a comment back, you look so serious although you got just married a bit ago and now this sigh. So tell me what happened."

"I didn't do anything wrong this time," Danny replied.

Mac shook his head and sighed. "I didn't think that either. So what is going on here?"

"It's because of Sid," he answered.

"Sid?" Mac gave him a questioning look. "Is everything alright with him?"

"So far yes," Danny answered. "But that can change soon. He came to me because he asked me for help. He's receiving letters from an unknown person which really make me worry."

Mac's expression instantly turned serious as well. "What kind of letters?" he wanted to know.

"Someone is threatening him," Danny explained. "Not explicitly, but someone seems to have a problem with him. He's receiving those letters for a while already but he never mentioned them to anyone because he thought it was nothing serious."

"Such letters should always be taken serious," Mac said.

Danny nodded in agreement. "That is what I told him as well. I also suggested to ask Don for some people who could protect him for the case that someone decides that letters aren't dangerous enough anymore, but he firmly refused to take that offer."

Mac sighed. "You can't force him unfortunately. Did he at least promise to come back when he receives another letter?"

Danny nodded again. "Yes, and I also told him to keep his eyes open for anything else that could be strange in his opinion."

"That's good," Mac answered. "I hope..." Before he could finish his sentence though, a knock at Mac's door interrupted him. "Yes, please?"

The door was opened hesitantly and to the surprise of both men, a very worried looking Sid peeked into the room.

"Excuse me," he said. "I was actually here to speak to Danny, but you weren't in your office and as I heard voices from in here, I thought to knock here."

"Come in, Sid," Mac invited him. "Did something happen?"

Sid nodded as he entered the room and hastily closed the door again before he made his way over to Mac's desk and sat down in the chair next to Danny.

"Did you receive another letter?" Danny wanted to know.

Sid shook his head. "No, this time it was worse. Oh God, actually I shouldn't even be here."

"How do you mean?" Danny asked. Sid's behaviour worried him more and more.

Sid took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. "I was unsure at first if I should come over which is why I waited all night until now. Yesterday evening on my way home I met a mummed man. He threatened me with a knife. From what he said I assume he is the one who sent me those letters. He only told me to not go to the police because otherwise I would regret it. I know I shouldn't have come here but you told me to come to you when something like that happens."

"This was a very good decision, Sid," Mac told him. He often had to do with clients who were frightened because they were threatened by others and told not to get help. After all those people wouldn't stop, no matter what their victims did. In Sid's situation it was important that he didn't keep those encounters a secret.

"This is getting more and more serious," Danny said, shaking his head. "It is good you came to us, Sid. We have to act now before someone attacks you."

Mac nodded. "And the best is we start with that right now."

* * *

When Lindsay arrived at the cafe, Adam was already awaiting her. The table was covered with various papers; new information she assumed. She noticed how her heart started to beat faster with excitement. What had started as something interesting for an article was now growing to something bigger. She couldn't wait to find out what else Adam had found out.

"Good morning, Adam," she greeted him with a smile as she joined him at the table.

"Good morning," Adam greeted back, briefly getting up from his chair in a polite gesture. "Jessica said she would join us soon, she is only waiting for every customer having their orders."

"That sounds good to me," Lindsay said, sitting down as well. "I see you have a lot of files here, does that mean you got us more information about this brotherhood?"

Adam nodded. "Indeed I did. My informant has an even better connection to it than I knew. He got us a lot of new information but so far I didn't manage to look through them all and I also wanted to wait as I believe that you're just as curious to find out more about them as I am."

"This is very true," Lindsay agreed. Adam nodded. The look he gave her then though caused her to raise her eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

Adam smiled insecurely. "Well, I wouldn't say something is wrong, but I feel worried a bit."

"Why are you worried?" Lindsay wanted to know.

"I'm worried because of what I get you and Jessica into," Adam admitted. "I think your husband won't be happy if he finds out how this brotherhood really is. I think it is a really big organisation and so far we don't know if they are any dangerous. From what I know so far they're obsessed with their opinion that traditions are what people have to follow. They seem like they would do everything to prove their opinion as right to everyone and I don't have a doubt they wouldn't hesitate to go after people who don't agree with them."

Lindsay smiled at his words. "There is no reason for you to worry," she reassured him. "I'm an adult, I'm well aware of what I'm doing and which consequences my actions have. Danny knows that as well. I know it might be unusual, but my husband doesn't make decisions for me. He believes I know what is good for me and when I should step back. He won't mind if we keep on working on this as long as I believe it's fine. I know this brotherhood might be dangerous, but I think so far we didn't do anything that got us too much involved with them."

"And if so, our partners know how to deal with criminals," Jessica added, just then arriving at their table as well. She sat down on the third free chair, anticipation glistering in her eyes. "So now that we all are here, what did you find out, Adam?"

Adam handed some of the files to the two women. "A lot of information actually. My informant said he will try to get us as much as even possible as long as I guarantee that his name won't be mentioned for the case anyone finds out about our investigation."

Nodding, Lindsay opened the file, so did Adam and Jessica. Together they looked through the various papers. Lindsay had to admit that Adam was right. This brotherhood was nothing compared to all those groups she knew were existing at universities. This group wasn't just a number of students who had a similar interest or believed in the same things. Indeed a large group of students seemed to be members and the believes of this group started to worry her.

"They're really against anything that's new," Jessica said, shaking her head. "I can understand when people wish that not everything is being changed because many things are good the way they are. But still the world needs to improve. They are fully against those new media and even against all the improvement in the medical section. How can they be so much against that and only believe in traditional ways to heal people? There have been so many new improvements, it only gives us the chance to help even more people."

"This is what I'm believing as well," Lindsay agreed. "Because..." Her voice trailed off as her attention was caught by the paper she had been reading. Her eyes widened as her heart started to pound hard in her chest.

"Is everything alright?" Adam wanted to know.

"I...just found something here," she managed to say as shock was rushing through her, making her shiver. "They...seem to have a list. Of people they see as a danger and have to take care of."

Adam's eyes widened. "Really?" He took the paper from Lindsay. Just one quick look and he understood her reaction. "Oh no."

But before he could say more, she had already grabbed the paper again and gotten up to head out of the cafe.

* * *

Finding out that Sid was being threatened through letters had already worried Danny. He been afraid of Lindsay's father in the past, but now the man was close to him like a father. There had been many times in which Sid had proven to him what a good man he was and had never gotten tired of showing to him how glad he was that he was loving his daughter and was making her happy like this.

Now hearing that this man had been threatened with a knife and had been told to not ask for help because otherwise he would get into serious problems was simply making Danny angry. While he, Sid and Mac were looking through the letters again on search for anything that could help them to figure out who was going after the doctor, he wondered which motives this person could have.

In Danny's eyes there weren't many people who had as much of a good heart as Sid Hammerback. There was no one he had ever betrayed, he was always fair to all his patients, always willing to learn more, to improve so he could help people. For him, there was nothing that could explain why anyone would threaten this man.

"And you have no idea who could have a reason to go after you?" Mac asked the question Danny had in mind all the time.

Before Sid could reply, a knocking at the door interrupted him. Without waiting for an answer, the door was pushed open and Danny was surprised to see Lindsay rushing into the room. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of the three men.

"Dad?" she asked.

"Lindsay." Sid looked at her with his eyes widening.

"Is everything alright?" Danny wanted to know, stepping in before questions could be asked but even more because he cared for the strange expression in his wife's eyes. She managed to tear her eyes away from her father and looked at him with obvious worry.

"Actually...I came here because of my father," she said confused. "Because Adam, Jessica and I found out that someone could cause problems for him."

Danny exchanged a short look with Mac, both men thinking the same. "What did you find out?" he wanted to know.

Lindsay handed the paper to her husband. "Look at this. Adam got that from an informant."

Danny took the paper from her and started to read. Instantly he understood what Lindsay meant. On top of the list he was holding was the name of Dr. Sid Hammerback. And whoever had put him on it didn't have anything good in mind.

**Preview: Danny, Lindsay and Mac try to find a way to help Sid.**


	63. Everything Is Connected

**Author's note: Oh, I'm sorry it took me so long to update this time! But here's finally a new chapter for you. I hope you'll like how the storyline will continue. Like always, please let me know what you think! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, SMacked Hard, rapidtetv, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Storywriter, saturn567, rocksmacked and sucker-4-SMacked!**

**Chapter 63: Everything Is Connected**

Then tension in the air could be felt clearly as Danny, Lindsay, Mac and Sid were sitting around the table in Mac's office. When Lindsay had seen the name of her father on the list, she had already gotten worried, believing that it couldn't mean anything good. But then she had found out that Sid had been threatened by a stranger for a while and her worry had increased to a point where she was sitting at the table in shock, not sure what to think anymore.

Lindsay tensed lightly as she felt a hand gently grabbing hers until the table. Gazing to her side, she found Danny watching her closely. He didn't need to hear a single word to know what his wife was thinking. The connection they shared this amazed her. It was something that was uniting them; the fact that they could read each other's mind. It was fascinating, had it's advantages but also sometimes its disadvantages.

Mac was once again looking through the information Lindsay had given to him. In wise caution she had taken some more papers with her as she had stormed out of the cafe, knowing that they would need them. Never she would have believed that this scary brotherhood was that dangerous though and would threaten her own father.

"Sid, it is good you came to us and didn't keep this to yourself," Mac said then, looking up from the stack of papers in front of him. "Those people are organised and dangerous. We'll have to step in and make sure they can't do any damage to your or your family."

Lindsay felt how Danny instantly tensed at Mac's words, grasping her hand a bit tighter. She knew those people could also try to go after them, all of them. Sid seemed to believe that as well as his face got more worried by the moment.

"But this man let me know that I'm not allowed to talk to any officers and I believe that includes private investigators as well," he said.

Mac shook his head. "Those men always threaten people like that, telling them that they're not allowed to go to the police. They make you believe they will stop if you only do what they want you to do. But they won't do that. In some cases maybe, but mostly not. It is important you came to us. We will find a way to protect you."

"I'm not caring for myself, just take care of my family," Sid spoke the words Lindsay had expected to hear from her father.

"Don't say that, Dad," she replied. "You will not refuse to let Mac protect you as well."

Mac nodded in agreement. "Currently you're their target so we have to make sure you're not in danger anymore. We will call Don Flack and tell him to send someone out to protect you and your wife. Danny will do the same with Lindsay."

Sid nodded. Still he didn't look satisfied but he knew currently he couldn't do more than listen to the two men who clearly knew how to do their jobs. He still remembered the encounter with Daniel Katums and ever since then he trusted in the two private investigators, knowing that they wouldn't let any serious harm happen.

The knocking at the door caused them all to wince, spinning around as it was opened and Stella entered the room with a very worried looking Dana.

"Sidney!" she exclaimed, resting her hands on her hips as she looked at her husband with a mix of worry and anger. "How come that Stella has to come and pick me up because you're here? And then she tells me that you have been receiving letters that have been threatening you. Why didn't you tell me about that?"

"I didn't mean to worry you, my dear," Sid replied, clearly seeming to feel more uncomfortable by the second. "I know I should have mentioned them in front of her, but I wasn't sure how serious this situation is and I really didn't want to worry you if there is nothing seriously wrong with them."

Dana rolled her eyes as she and Stella made their way over to the table as well. "You should have told me, Sidney, I don't want that to ever happen again." She turned to Mac. "And what will happen now?"

Lindsay could feel Danny was looking at her and she knew what he was thinking. The behaviour of her and her mother were so similar in some parts. Like the fact they took things into their own hands and didn't mind to call their husbands on their wrong behaviour. She knew he was glad she had gotten this feature from her mother. Sometimes Lindsay believed it was much needed though as she knew Dana would make sure that Sid actually listened to her now and didn't try to do anything reckless again.

"We will make sure that officers have a close look at you," Mac explained. "And meanwhile we will try to find this person who is sending those letters and who has been threatening you while we're trying to figure out what this brotherhood is planning. Even if we can't stop them all as this group is too large, we can at least try to go after the dangerous heads and make sure they won't complete whatever they're planning to do."

Once again Lindsay glanced at Danny, knowing that he instantly understood the look she was giving him. He might not like it but she would join those investigations. This brotherhood was more than she had imagined at first; like Adam had told her already. They would find a way to stop them, even if it was just arresting a few of them, making sure they couldn't cause any harm.

* * *

"I can understand that Sid didn't tell Dana about those letters," Stella said, sitting across of Mac as the couple was having dinner together. "But this doesn't change that I wouldn't want to be in her situation. If someone ever dares to threaten you like that, I would want you tell me about that. Don't you try to hide anything in front of me."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Mac couldn't help but smile lightly at her words. He could very well imagine what Stella would do if she found out he was hiding anything that important in front of her. Her reactions would be a lot worse than Dana's.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't keep anything away from you," he said.

Stella chuckled. "Very good answer, Mac." She took another sip of her drink. "So how dangerous is this brotherhood? I heard there are some at most universities but I never considered them as dangerous."

"Those are different," Mac replied. "They're planning something obviously and I don't have a doubt they would mean a lot of trouble if they manage to get what they want. We have to get more information and find a proof that someone is trying to hurt Sid or anyone else who is on this list after him. I told Flack about it and he sent some officers out to have a look at those people also."

"Do you think you can stop those people?" Stella wanted to know. "If they really are that many like Lindsay said, how are you supposed to do that?"

"It's always the same with such groups," Mac answered. "They seem to be large and impressive. But only a couple of them are really dangerous. Some are only interested as long as the leaders are there and motivating them. Others are only part of such groups because they want to be a member of something. The moment the leaders of those groups don't keep them together anymore and those who only take orders from them don't have anyone doing that, things will ease down a lot."

"So you want to go after those who are leading this brotherhood?" Stella asked.

Mac nodded. "Exactly. If we manage to find evidence for their plans and for the letters they sent Sid, we can arrest them." He didn't miss the worried look Stella gave him. "What is it?"

"Nothing." Stella sighed. "I think it's only natural that I'm worried. After all last time you have been investigating against dangerous persons, you have been accused of murder and have been locked up although you were innocent. We can be glad that your innocence was proven and it was found out that those officers were corrupt."

Something Mac loved about his relationship with Stella was that they could be honest to each other. She was telling him how she was feeling and he was grateful for that.

"I won't work on this alone," he told her. "Danny, Flack and I will make sure to investigate together and Adam Ross will help us as well. Lindsay said she will step in, too. You see, we will all make sure that something like the situation with Mr. Mala won't happen again."

"Then I think you won't mind if I join you," Stella replied. "You know that I know a lot of important people. Possibly they have some information as well."

Mac couldn't deny something inside him instantly urged him to tell her he didn't need her to step in, but he knew Stella wouldn't accept such an answer. The way she raised an eyebrow at him told him that she knew pretty well what he was thinking.

"Do you want to say anything against that, Mac?" she asked.

He sighed and shook his head. "No, of course you can join us. Just make sure to be careful."

"I always am," she replied with a wink.

And although Mac wasn't too happy to have his fiancée work on such a case with him, he couldn't help but smile again. Stella was a determined woman and it was only one of many sides of her which he truly loved.

* * *

Danny was watching Lindsay closely ever since she had shown up at Mac's office earlier that day. He hadn't argued as she had clearly shown him that she would investigate this case; after all she was involved already anyway and he knew he could argue with her as much as he wanted to; she wouldn't change her mind at all. He also didn't want her to be any different.

Currently he was sitting in bed already while his wife was changing into her sleeping dress. He couldn't deny how much he enjoyed watching her doing that; stripping out of her usual dress and getting into this soft piece of whit fabric, her long hair falling down onto her back in soft, silky curls. She was the most beautiful sight he could think of. The expression in her eyes wasn't as nice though.

"The officers will make sure that no one gets too close to your father and your mother," he told her. As she got close enough so he could reach her, he gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to him, causing her to fall on top of him. Quickly he rolled her over and lay her down on the free side of the bed. The fact she didn't fight back told him she was indeed worried.

"Talk about what you're thinking," he offered softly. "It's what you keep on reminding me of all the time also."

Lindsay gazed back up at Danny, seeming to debate what to do for a moment before she sighed deeply. "When Adam and I started to get more information about this brotherhood, I thought it would be an interesting story. Like a little adventure," she told him. "But I didn't expect those people to be organised like that and after my father only because he tries to improve and heal even more people than he usually does with trying new methods and medications. This is unfair. How can it be wrong when a doctor wants the best for his patients?"

"Those people aren't thinking straight," Danny replied, gently running a hand through her curly hair. "You read how they are. They are strictly against everything new. In their eyes all new inventions should be forbidden, people shouldn't be allowed to research. To believe such things is their right. We don't understand their opinion of course. But it is not our job to understand them. All we can do is to make sure that they don't hurt any innocent people and they crossed a line with those letters and with threatening Sid. We will step in and make sure to stop them. And you know we can do that. We will find out who the leaders of this brotherhood are and then we will stop them from doing any harm."

"I know we will," Lindsay said, sighing again. He released her from his grip to allow her to wrap her arms around him and rest her head on his chest. "But promise you wouldn't react like my father. I know he wanted to not worry Mom. But lying isn't making it any better. I want you to be honest to me. Always."

"I promise I will," he replied. "As long as you promise the same."

Lindsay glanced up at him. "Well, don't worry, I won't lie to make you feel good."

Danny chuckled. "That is good to know."

With that Danny bent down to give Lindsay a gentle kiss before she lay back down on his chest. He was determined to really not lie at her, especially as he expected the same behaviour from her. And even more determined he was to catch those people before they could get too close to Sid.

* * *

He was hidden on top of the roof across of the large apartment building which Dr. Sid Hammerback owned. In fact he didn't have a problem with the man himself; he could even understand why people liked the doctor so much. There was a warmth in his eyes, a friendliness in his behaviour which everyone had to like.

But his opinions didn't fit to those of the brotherhood. He believed in research, in all those new inventions, all those new medical methods and medications. This was wrong and even letters that were supposed to warn him hadn't worked. He might have asked officers for help; not what he had been supposed to do. But he didn't care.

They had to come up with something better. Watching the doctor closely was just the first part of the plan. The plan to convince Dr. Sid Hammerback from the fact that their opinions were right. And that no one dared to step up against the brotherhood and their believes.

**Preview: Danny, Lindsay, Mac, Stella and Adam decide someone has to go undercover to get more information. Meanwhile Dana gets into trouble.**


	64. A New Plan And New Complications

**Author's note: I know, I'm a little late with updating. ;) But here is a new chapter finally and I hope you'll like it. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Special thanks to SMacked Hard, sucker-4-SMacked, afrozenheart412, rapidtetv, lily moonlight, Storywriter, saturn567 and Andorian Ice Princess-AIP!**

**Chapter 64: A New Plan And New Complications**

It was yet another early morning when Danny, Lindsay, Mac and Stella met at Mac's office. Sid's problem with the brotherhood was keeping all of them restless and nervous. So far they didn't know how dangerous those students really could be. The doctor had been threatened already though and they didn't want to risk that anything would indeed happen to him.

"I don't understand how a group of students can be that dangerous," Stella said, shaking her head. "Why are such groups allowed?"

"You can't really forbid something like that," Mac answered, resting against his desk next to where she was sitting. "If such groups would be forbidden, the police could easily do the same with harmless ones."

Stella sighed. "That is true unfortunately. But they are dangerous. They threaten people only because they don't want to stick to old traditions but go with the time."

"So far we can't prove that they are the ones who are threatening Sid," Danny replied. "We can't prove that they sent those letters. So far we only have this list, but still this won't be enough because they would find a way to talk themselves out. We also can't arrest every single person who's part of this brotherhood. We have to find the leaders. If those are no danger anymore and won't spread their hate speech any longer, the entire brotherhood will be weakened."

"But so far we don't know who the leaders of this group are," Lindsay said.

"That's why we have to find a way to find that out," Mac told her. "We have to find out who's making the big decisions. For that we need to work undercover again." He didn't miss how Stella tensed next to him. Lindsay didn't have a happy expression either. Mac wasn't surprised by that. Both women had seen him and Danny working undercover, both times had been more than dangerous. This time wouldn't be an exception.

Danny nodded in agreement though. "I think that should be the only way for us to get information apart from what Adam can give us so far and without bringing Sid into further danger. I guess it's my turn to do some undercover work again."

"Do we really have to do that?" Lindsay asked. Her face turned bright red when three pairs of eyes looked at her. "Isn't there a way someone else could go undercover? I want to be completely honest to you. You two have been doing a lot of undercover work and I know that, but we also know how dangerous that got. The two of you have families." Her face turned even redder at her own words. "Sorry, but it's just something I'm really worried about."

"I'm feeling the same way," Stella said to Lindsay's surprise. "I know this is your job, but is there no other way?"

The men shook their heads. Lindsay sighed. There was an idea she had had since the moment Mac had brought up the topic. She was hesitant to speak it out, but then Stella's words found their way into her mind. Who said that only men were allowed to take the lead in such situations? Still women often were treated like they were weak but especially after her involvement in helping to prove Mac's innocence everyone should know she wasn't a weak person.

"Then if you go undercover, so will I," she stated. Danny stared at her in shock at her words.

"What are you saying?" he asked in disbelief.

Lindsay sat up a little straighter, looking him right into the eyes. She knew he would try to talk her out of her idea but she wouldn't let him. This time she wouldn't allowed him to go undercover alone and it would be her who would join him.

"I'm student at this university also," she said. "I know how it works, I also know a couple of people. I can find a way to get in contact with members of the brotherhood. Maybe I could become a member."

"I'm not sure about that, Lindsay," Mac replied. "It's a brotherhood. The name says it already. They won't accept women."

"Mac!" Stella shook her head at her fiancé. "That really isn't an excuse. They won't accept women? Then it's about time they will."

"I think for a brotherhood that says everything should go in the old fashioned way, I doubt they would change something like that and allow a woman to be a member," Danny agreed with Mac.

"Well, it is worth a try I guess," Lindsay answered, not letting her husband convince her from the opposite. "Even if they don't want me to join them, I could still use the contacts so you could become a member." She sighed. "I know they might not want me, but believe me when I tell you that I can find ways to get us more information or at least make it easier for you to become a part of this brotherhood."

To her surprise she saw how a light smile lit Danny's face. "I guess you might be right here." He turned to Mac. "Are you fine with that? Lindsay will try to get in contact with members of the brotherhood and then I'll use those contacts to get into the brotherhood. It'd be good if you could fake me a student's ID for this time."

Mac nodded. "I'll take care of that."

Stella couldn't suppress the grin that lit her face as Mac reached for his telephone. She gave Lindsay an appreciating nod. "Good work, my dear," she said. "It's about time the women get involved as well."

Lindsay threw a quick glance at Danny who raised his eyebrows at her. She couldn't help but smile herself. She knew her husband and Mac wished they would stay away from their dangerous job but they also knew this would never happen.

* * *

Danny was leaning in the doorway of his living room, watching Lindsay who was sitting at his desk, bent over a huge amount of paper. Even from the distance he could see how she was frowning in concentration. A light smile had spread across his face but still he couldn't get rid of the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Lindsay was a modern woman. Even if he wanted to, he would never be able to force her to stand in the kitchen all day. She was stubborn and independent. He loved this side of her usually, but in moments like this he almost wished she was a bit more old fashioned also. He knew her idea was good indeed. He didn't know anyone at the university and even his skills wouldn't help him to find the members of the brotherhood that easily as a fellow student. Lindsay though knew a lot of people and with asking the right questions, she could give him the names he needed.

But Danny knew Lindsay well enough to know that simply giving him names wouldn't be enough for her. The thought of that caused the sick feeling to increase. He was a modern man himself but sometimes his own thoughts could be old fashioned; he still believed he had to protect his wife and he hated to see her around those people.

"Why are you standing there?"

Lindsay's voice interrupted him in his thoughts and startled him. He hadn't noticed that she had made a break and was now watching him closely. The questioning look she gave him made him sigh. He knew she would want to know what he had been thinking about and he wouldn't lie. They had promised each other to not lie.

"I didn't want to interrupt you," he said, making his way over to her. He sat down in the chair next to his desk. The way her eyebrows raised lightly as she continued watching him told him his behaviour didn't stay hidden to her. "Are those information useful for you?"

Lindsay nodded. "I have to admit though I'm a bit shocked by how many people are part of this brotherhood. A lot of them I know personally. I would have never believed that they are against new inventions so much and that they only believe in old traditions. I always thought they would have modern intentions as well."

"So you know a few of them? Do you think you can talk to them about this brotherhood?" Danny wanted to know. He had to force himself to ask this question.

Again she nodded. "I don't think it will be difficult. If I ask the right questions they will believe I agree with what they believe in and some of them love to hear themselves talk a lot. So if I ask them questions they will surely love to talk about it. Then we just have to make them believe you are feeling the same way." She paused. "You're not happy about my idea, right?"

Danny sighed. He ran a hand through his short hair. "No, I'm not, to tell you the truth. I know you'd like to slap me for that, but I can't deny that I don't like the idea of you working undercover with me."

"Why should I want to slap you for that?" she wanted to know.

He gave her an uncomfortable look. "I know you want to be an independent woman and you proved a lot of times that you don't need a man protecting you. But I can't get rid of the instinct that makes me want to do it anyway. You are my wife, Lindsay. Even if you don't need it, it still is my job to protect you. Especially after...well."

"After what?" she asked.

Once again he sighed. "Don't get angry at me, alright? I can't forget about what Katums did to you. I know you might hate me for what I'm saying now, but I can't forget what he did to you. I still remember how you came into my office, covered in bruises and shivering because this man once again attacked you. You've had nightmares for months after that and still whenever I rose my voice you got scared like I was about to beat you up also. I know I might be overprotective but I can't help it. I saw this man, I saw what he did to you and I saw how you suffered even after he was long time arrested already. I couldn't bear the thought of anyone ever hurting you again. I love you more than anything and I couldn't handle if anyone did anything to do. This brotherhood is dangerous and yes, I wish I could keep you away from them. But I know that you're feeling the same way about me. You also don't want me to work undercover with them, for the same reasons and I'm not stupid. I don't think men can do whatever they want and not care for the fact that their wives are worrying. I know the only way to arrest those people is to use your connections, but even though I know that, it doesn't mean it makes me happy."

His cheeks had reddened a bit as he looked back at her after his speech that had gotten longer than expected. Danny wasn't sure how Lindsay would react. Would she be angry because of his honestly? To his surprise though she gave him a soft smile and rested one of her delicate hands on top of his which were resting in his lap.

"How could I be angry because of that?" she asked him. "I can understand you. I have to admit I'm a bit surprised that the events from the past still torture you as well. I guess it's something we won't ever forget. But..." It was her turn to blush. "Honestly, Danny, I like having an overprotective husband because it means that you'll make sure I'm happy and well. I have been in an abusive relationship and I know how to appreciate a man who wants to take care of me." She paused again. "I promise I'll be careful. I'll only ask them questions. I won't do anything that could be dangerous."

He nodded, giving her a relieved smile. "Thank you."

Danny knew he wouldn't change Lindsay and he didn't want to. He also wouldn't hesitate to speak out what he had in mind though. It was the only way to make her understand how he was feeling.

* * *

It was almost midday when Dana was on her way back to the large apartment building Sid owned. She was struggling with the heavy bags she was carrying but anyway she was smiling. There had been a time in which she had cursed that they had decided to leave their farm and move into the city. Now she saw everything from a different point of view.

Sid had worked hard and she understood he had done it for them. She was amazed when she now saw what he had made happen with hard work. He owned an entire apartment building, he was one of the most famous doctors in New York City, yet he was modest and friendly. She wasn't surprised he had accepted their daughter's boyfriend immediately.

Dana took a deep breath of the fresh air, her smile widening at the warm sunshine on her face. She had just reached the entrance door of the apartment building.

Later she didn't remember what exactly had happened; it had simply happened too fast. She hadn't heard or noticed the man who had approached her. She didn't get a chance to scream as all of the sudden a hand was pressed against her mouth from behind. The grocery bags dropped onto the ground as she tried to fight back but a strong arm wrapped around her slim body so tightly she shrieked in pain.

"Don't you dare to fight, lady. Behave or you'll regret it," a cold male voice hissed into her ear.

Dana's instinct was telling her to fight as hard as possible but her rational mind told her to listen to the man. Overwhelming fear started to rise inside her as he dragged her away from the entrance door.

**Preview: Danny, Lindsay and the others find out that Dana was kidnapped.**


	65. Supporting Each Other

**Author's note: I know, it's really about time for an update! Thanks so much to everyone who's still reading and reviewing this story! Your support means so much to me! Special thanks to DL-Flangell-N-MiamiBound, afrozenheart412, rapidtetv, SMacked Hard, saturn567, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP and rocksmacked!**

**

* * *

****Chapter 65: Supporting Each Other**

Stella was still sitting across of Mac in his office, watching him closely. Whenever she looked at him, a strong warmth seemed to fill her. She loved him and soon they would get married. The thought of that was so unbelievable and yet so beautiful. They would be husband and wife.

She had to admit that since she was together with Mac, she had wondered if the two of them would ever get married. Stella herself had often dreamt of the perfect wedding together with Lindsay. They had sat together for hours, had imagined how their dresses would look like, how this one special man had to be like. She had been shocked when the wedding with Katums had been arranged and had been incredibly relieved when the man had been arrested.

Stella was glad that Lindsay had gotten the one special man she had always been wishing for and the wedding had been as perfect as they had been in the dreams of her best friend. Stella hadn't been sure if she would also find a man one day until she had met Mac.

Mac. He was so different from all men she had ever been around. In a business like hers, a woman was confronted with men a lot and those contacts had given her a strength to fight against them and be successful. Mac never had made her feel like a person with fewer rights than him, someone he could look at with raised eyebrows as if she was stupid. He had always treated her with respect, had been interested in her opinion.

But then Mac had also proven that he didn't just like her the way she was, he was also willing to protect her. She would never forget how he had gotten himself into prison while trying to help her with her problems caused by Frankie Mala. He had proven his love to her so many times. With the time she had started to understand that even though Claire owned a place in his heart, he was ready to open himself to another woman again. He had once told her that he had believed that every person only had this one big love but that he had to be an especially lucky man because he had found it twice; in Claire and now in her, Stella.

He was ready to get married again and she believed him. Whenever he looked up at her and smiled at her, this warm and caring smile he had only for her, she knew he was truly loving her. He was the man she had described to Lindsay so often when they had been younger. He was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and Stella knew Mac wished for the same.

Right now her soon to be husband was staring down at papers in front of him with a worried expression though. Sid's problems with this brotherhood was making him nervous, like always when he wasn't completely sure about something. They didn't know how dangerous those persons really were. They didn't know how far they would go.

"Mac, I'm sure we'll manage to arrest the leaders of this brotherhood and stop them before they can do any harm to people," she said softly.

Mac offered her a light smile but she knew her words wouldn't convince him. "I wish so, Stella," he answered. "Groups like that which are so big are dangerous. You cannot control them. You can't even control single persons. You know how long it took us to arrest Daniel Katums and his men and we only did because Danny got so obsessed with him."

Stella nodded. She wanted to say more when the loud sound of Mac's ringing telephone interrupted her. The moment he answered the call, she could already feel that those wouldn't be good news.

"Mac Taylor," he greeted. "Hello Don." He listened to the voice of Flack for a couple of moments and the way his expression got harder and darker told Stella that her worries had been right. The news the detective had weren't good. Her heart started to beat faster as she fought against various images of scenarios that tried to push their way into her mind. What had happened? Was everyone involved okay? She swallowed hard to get rid of the lump that was building in her throat. Speculating wouldn't answer her questions either. She had to wait and see what Mac had to tell her. It seemed to take ages though until he hung up again and instantly got up.

"What happened, Mac?" Stella wanted to know, instinctively getting up as well. "What did Don say?"

"We have a problem," Mac answered, stopping in the middle of the room, so abruptly that she almost ran into him. The worry in his eyes made her even more nervous. "Don said that the brotherhood contacted him. I told him we'll take care of the case."

"What did they say?" Stella asked, not sure if she even wanted to hear the answer though.

Mac sighed. "They kidnapped Dana and they won't let her go until Sid agrees to do what they want."

* * *

"No," Lindsay exclaimed, jumping up from her chair. "No, I cannot do that!"

Danny, who had been sitting at his desk when he had taken the phone call from Mac, got up as well and wrapped his arms around his wife in a tight embrace, preventing her from running out of the room. His own heart was racing after hearing that Dana had been kidnapped by the brotherhood. They were expecting that Sid followed their wishes now, otherwise they wouldn't let their hostage go. Her reaction was more than understandable to him. Mentally he cursed himself for a second of weakness in which he had been glad the brotherhood hadn't tried to kidnap her instead. He knew it was an instinct of every husband but he didn't like having such a thought, not even for a second. They had to find Dana, as quickly as possible.

"Lindsay, please, calm down," he said in a soft voice, tightening his grip carefully as she tried to get free. "Shh, it's all good, we'll find her."

"We have to!" she shouted, spinning around in his arms so she could face him. His heart ached at the tears he could see in her eyes, mixed with fear. "Danny, she's my mother! You...you and Mac said that this brotherhood is dangerous. We have to find her!" She groaned. "I...can't do this undercover work now, I can't just try and get more information from them while they have her as their hostage."

"We won't have to," he told her, still keeping her trapped in his arms. "It would take too long. We'll have to see what they want from us."

He wanted to say more but his voice trailed off as he felt his wife shake in his arms. The sound of a suppressed sob broke his heart. She had stopped fighting against him and now just lay against his chest, crying. Carefully Danny led Lindsay into the bedroom and sat down on their bed with her. She wrapped her arms around him, understanding his silent signal and her sobbing changed into frightened crying. He simply held her close against him, letting her cry, knowing that whatever he would say right now wouldn't help her.

Danny knew how it felt like to worry like that. For years he had wondered where his family was. Were they still alright after the war in Europe? Often he had wished he could have stayed in Italy where he at least would have known where they were.

Lindsay had always wished to talk to her mother again after Dana had simply left her in New York. He had been excited when the woman had finally shown up in the city again to answer all the questions her daughter had and to allow them a fresh start. Apart from the fact that Lindsay would have never made a decision like Dana, the two women had a lot in common. They were strong and determined. What was most important though was the close relationship they shared.

Ages seemed to have passed when his wife's crying got quieter and quieter until she stopped again. Carefully he pulled her backwards a bit so he could face her. Gently he ran his thumbs over her wet cheeks in an attempt to wipe the tears away again.

"They won't cause any harm," he said softly, placing a kiss onto her forehead. "They won't hurt her because they want something from your father and they wouldn't get what they want if they hurt her. Also you know your mother. She is as stubborn as you. No one will dare to even touch her. Possibly they will be so scared by her that they will let her go and let us arrest them." He smiled relieved as Lindsay chuckled lightly.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked carefully.

Danny nodded determined. "Yes, I am. Do you remember how we were scared we wouldn't get Mac out of prison? We made it happen. I mean look at us. You have two of New York's best private investigators, a detective, a bunch of really strong and dangerous women, two doctors and the best journalist ever. No one will have a chance against us, not even this brotherhood." He paused, knowing he was going over the top, but currently he believed this was the only way to calm her down again. "We'll find Dana and then we'll arrest them. Everything will be fine. Right now we just have to head to Mac's office and wait until they'll contact us again. We'll make a plan how to find her. Just believe in us."

"That's what I'm doing," she answered and he knew she was being honest.

Nodding again, Danny gave Lindsay another kiss and embraced her again. They would find Dana. It wouldn't be a problem and he firmly believed that the woman would possibly even get them information that could be helpful to stop the brotherhood. They just had to believe in it.

* * *

Dana didn't know how long she was sitting in the small room already; a room without a window, without a chair or anything else. It was a dark, tiny room in the basement of a giant building. The members of the brotherhood hadn't even tried to cover her eyes and simply had brought her to this building and locked her in this small room. At least they had been smart enough to keep her hands tied together.

She had been frightened at first when she had felt how a man had pressed his hand onto her mouth from behind and pulled her with him. Now she shook her head in disbelief, a light smile on her face. Those men were dangerous; she didn't doubt though. Believing that only because she was a woman she was an easy target was a big mistake though. They believed they didn't have to be careful, because a woman would have no chance against a large group of male students.

They should know it better. Dana wouldn't sit in her cell and wait until she would be rescued. So far she refused to wait next to the door and hit her next visitor unconscious, knowing that this wouldn't get her far. There were other ways to get out of this situation though before anyone could harm her.

They had kidnapped her because they wanted to blackmail Sid. Dana didn't doubt that her husband would do everything to get her free and she dearly hoped she would be able to free herself before Sid had to do something he would regret.

"Stay strong, Sidney," she said. She was glad that Lindsay had Danny who would prevent her daughter from agreeing to whatever the brotherhood wanted immediately. "I'll get out of here. You know me."

Dana always had had a talent to convince people and talk her way into their minds. She knew they needed information about the leaders of the brotherhood and that this was more than a dangerous situation; it could also be seen as a chance. She was aware of the fact that no one would harm her until they had gotten what they wanted from Sid. This was a big advantage for her and Dana was determined to use her chance.

Sighing deeply, she got up from the cold, stony floor. She had been confused when she had listened to what Mac had to tell about the brotherhood. They were stuck in their old traditions, they hated everything that was new. Dana was sure that if they could they would take the right to vote and every other right from women again. This possibly explained why they were so careless around her. A woman was a woman and not capable of anything good. Most people believed that. Most people were surprised when they realised that Dana didn't count to them.

Her smile changed into a grin. They had no idea who was sitting in this cell. Of course she would use their stupidity. She would let them believe she was an innocent and naïve woman. Until the right moment had come. They would regret their mistake, very soon.

* * *

**Preview: The friends think of how to help Dana. Meanwhile Dana tries to get information.**


	66. One Step After The Other

**Author's note: Sorry that I needed so long to update, but the muse was busy with so many other ideas. ;) I didn't forget about the fic though, so here is a new chapter for you! I hope inspiration comes back so I can write more and update faster. Thanks to everyone who's still reading and reviewing! Special thanks to SMacked-FLangell-DLBound, rapidtetv, rocksmacked, Storywriter, saturn567, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, afrozenheart412, lily moonlight and Hannah554!**

**Chapter 66: One Step After The Other**

Sid was sitting in Mac's office for a while now, but he didn't even remember when he had arrived. All he knew was that he had been at home and had been sitting in his living room, surprised that Dana wasn't at home. She had told him she wanted to go shopping but usually this didn't take her long. Other than most women, Dana wasn't in love with window shopping or spending much time at shopping centers. Back home in Montana she had spent more time with keeping the farm clean and doing a lot of work that people would assume was way too hard for a woman.

Sid had never been surprised that Lindsay had found it difficult to get used to being like all those other women of the upper class. She disliked to sit at home, to be pregnant every year and take care of the house and a constantly growing family. She had a free spirit, she had been fascinated by journalism and bugged him until he had allowed her to study. He had even allowed her to have her own apartment.

He was glad that the short time she had to spend with Daniel Katums hadn't ruined her personality. She was a lot like Dana. She was strong and determined, women like his wife and daughter were responsible for the fact that finally women were allowed to vote as well. They didn't back off in a world that was dominated by men, just like Stella. This was possibly the reason why Lindsay and Stella were best friends since their childhood.

Sid shook his head as he realised his thoughts were drifting away and once again the cold fear filled him which felt like a cold hand that closed around his heart. He had been surprised that Dana hadn't been home yet, but then he had heard his telephone ring and his heart had started to race. He could feel something was wrong.

His instinct had been right. Dana had been kidnapped, by those people who were threatening him for a while now. Sid didn't remember how he had made his way to the office of Mac. His mind and heart were filled with fear. His wife was somewhere out there together with those dangerous people. He didn't know what they wanted from him or why they had kidnapped her. Why her? Sid would have understood if they had tried to kidnap him, but why Dana? She didn't have anything to do with his work or with this brotherhood.

Sid sighed. He didn't know when he had been so frightened for the last time. The feeling reminded him of what he had to go through when Danny had revealed to him who Daniel Katums really was. Luckily Lindsay's husband had taken care of her back then, even after she had escaped from the place where they had been supposed to stay, just to be together with the man she loved.

But no one was protecting Dana now. Sid believed it was his job to make sure nothing would happen to her. Finally, after all those years, she had come back to New York. They had given each other a second chance. They were happy again. He didn't want to lose that because of a brotherhood who had dared to kidnap his wife.

Probably he should have talked to Mac or Danny earlier. Sid shuddered as this thought found its way into his mind. At first he had only been confused by those letters. He hadn't understood them. He had believed they had been a bad joke and so he had been hiding them in front of Dana and everyone else, although his wife had felt that something was bothering him.

He had decided to talk to Danny then when he had kept on receiving those letters. They had started to frighten him. Now he dearly wished he had listened to his son-in-law. Someone should have protected him, and Dana as well. Probably then those men wouldn't have been able to take her with them. Now they had no idea where she was and his fear was slowly making him lose his mind.

"Sid?"

Hearing his name, Sid snapped out of his thoughts. He shook his head to clear his mind, just the realising that there were four more people in the room. Stella was sitting on the couch with Lindsay, talking to his daughter. He assumed she was trying to calm her down. He knew the look in his daughter's eyes; she was as worried as him. Mac was looking through various papers that were spread on his desk in front of him. It had been Danny who had called his name and who was watching him closely.

"Are you alright, Sid?" Danny wanted to know. He could hear the concern in the voice of his son-in-law. Sid still needed to get used to how much had changed during the last couple of months. Not long ago, he had been alone. His daughter was trying to be an independent woman. He had only had a few friends who he knew only talked to him because of his influence and because he was one of the most popular doctors in New York. He had often felt lonely while sitting at his fireplace.

Now he had this big family; his wife, his daughter with her husband and all their friends. Sid didn't remember when he had had true friends for the last time and he was grateful for them, especially in situations like that. He didn't have to handle his fear alone anymore. There were enough people who wanted to be there for him.

"It's my fault she was kidnapped," Sid answered quietly, throwing a nervous glance at the women on the couch. He didn't want them to worry even more.

"No, Sid, don't say that," Danny replied, shaking his head firmly. "It was not your fault, please don't believe that."

"But if I had told you about the letters when I received the first one already," Sid answered. "Or if I had agreed to be protected by the police...maybe then they would have never gotten a chance to kidnap Dana. I had no idea how dangerous this brotherhood really is. They threatened me with a knife..."

"We couldn't know how dangerous they really are," Danny interrupted the doctor. "Thanks to Adam and his informant we found out they are responsible for the letters. If he hadn't been investigating against the brotherhood, we wouldn't even know who sent them to you."

He paused. Sid was a very honest person. Danny had noticed that a lot already. This man didn't pretend to be someone he wasn't and he also didn't hide his thoughts. He was scared and he was blaming himself. Danny knew he would feel the same way if he was in the situation of the doctor. Even more he was determined to show Sid that the kidnapping of Dana was not his fault. It wasn't his fault he hadn't believed in the letters at first.

"You came to me when you started to believe the sender of those letters could be dangerous," Danny continued then. "And even though this man with the knife threatened you and told you to not go to the police, you came to Mac and me and told us about it. You made the right decisions, Sid."

"But...what if contacting you is the reason why they kidnapped Dana now?" Sid asked in shock. So far this idea hadn't come to his mind. But Danny shook his head.

"It was right to come to us," he said. "Of course those people threaten their victims so they won't ask for help. But even if you had followed all their wishes, they wouldn't have stopped."

"You should listen to him, Dad," Lindsay said. Both men turned around to her and found her watching them. They hadn't noticed she had been listening to their conversation. Danny was glad that his wife had calmed down compared to earlier. Lindsay was still worried because of Dana. This wouldn't change until they knew where the brotherhood was hiding Dana and why they had kidnapped her in the first place. "It wasn't your fault. Those students are to blame."

Mac nodded in agreement. "We also have to keep in mind..." He was interrupted as his telephone rang again. Immediately the tension in the room increased and it seemed as if all of them held their breath when Mac answered the telephone.

"Mac Taylor," he said. "Yeah, that's me."

Then he just listened. Danny had gotten up from his chair and sat down next to Lindsay on the couch. His wife had grabbed his hand and was holding it tightly. Mac didn't have to say a word; they knew the brotherhood was calling.

The call lasted only a few minutes. Then, without any further words, Mac hung up again and stared at the telephone for a moment. They had had to deal with a lot of complicated cases in the past. A large group like this brotherhood was very different from everything they were used to.

"I think we'll have to ask Don for support here," Mac said after a couple of minutes of silence. "The more people work on stopping the brotherhood the better."

"What did they say?" Lindsay wanted to know.

"They said that they have Dana and won't release her until we do what they want," Mac answered.

"Then why don't we give them what they want?" Sid asked.

"Because they want you," Mac said. "They want you in exchange for Dana, but we don't accept that. Together with the police we'll find another way."

"But if you don't do what they want they'll hurt her!" Sid shouted, already getting up from his chair.

"No, they won't," Danny said firmly, stopping Sid in his movement. "They won't hurt her. They know they need something to pressure you and they know as long as Dana is alright, they can make demands. If they hurt her in any way, they know they wouldn't get anything from us. They won't risk that. We'll contact Flack and together with him we'll create a plan. We'll find a way to help Dana. We won't decline their demands yet of course. Maybe we can use them for us. But we won't send you to them in exchange for her."

Sid nodded slowly. Danny looked at Lindsay who was glancing up at him. He knew she wanted to get Dana free as quickly as possible. In her eyes he saw though that she understood. They had to be careful and plan their next steps well. They wouldn't give the brotherhood what they demanded. They would find another way, and they were determined to stop them.

* * *

Dana was sitting on the floor of the small room for what felt like hours already. To her surprise, she wasn't frightened anymore though. She believed it had to be an instinct; as long as her fear didn't overwhelm her, she still had a little control over the situation. She had to stay calm.

Dana was no private investigator, she was no officer, but she knew if the brotherhood had planned to hurt her, they would have done it by now. Instead she was still sitting in this room. Dana could imagine that those men had tried to contact Sid and had made demands. She dearly hoped her husband stayed strong and didn't do anything he would regret later.

Once again she was lost in her thoughts so the sound of the door being opened startled her. She looked up at found a young man standing in the door. He seemed to be even younger than her daughter and as she almost jumped up at his sudden presence, he stopped in his tracks, stared at her with huge eyes and his hands clenched around the edges of the plate he was carrying.

"I'm...sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized, carefully and slowly entering the room so he could close the door behind him again.

Dana raised her eyebrows at the young man. She didn't need him to say more to know he wasn't in a high position in this brotherhood. He seemed to be way too shy. Almost friendly. Watching the insecure man, she remembered her earlier thoughts. She had the chance to talk to members of the brotherhood. Mighty members wouldn't reveal any useful information to her. A shy, careful man who didn't even fit into an organisation like that though could maybe be a bit more open.

"It is alright, Mr..." she answered.

"Ryan," he answered politely. "Christian Ryan."

Dana nodded, offering a smile. "What are you bringing me here, Mr. Ryan?"

"Oh, I was told you bring you some food as we don't know how long you'll have to stay here," the man answered quickly.

Dana nodded, her smile widening. She knew she had to be careful. Even though this man was shy, it didn't mean he was stupid. She could ask him questions but she had to plan them wisely. If she was careful though, she could use her chance and find out some of the names they needed to catch the leaders of the brotherhood.

**Preview: Adam meets an informant. Dana talks to a member of the brotherhood. The other friends try to create a plan.**


	67. Getting New Information

**Author's note: Here is the next chapter finally! I hope you'll like it! Thanks to everyone who's still reading and reviewing! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, saturn567, Storywriter, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, rocksmacked, lily moonlight and Smacked-FLangell-DLBound!**

**Chapter 67: Getting New Information**

Adam was sitting on the bench, seemingly relaxed and calm. Inside he wasn't calm at all. He never was when he had to meet an informant and when so much was expected from him. Since his childhood, Adam was struggling with people's expectations. His father had been the best example of how the treatment of a child could affect it when it became an adult. Even though he was good in his job and although people believed me was one of the best journalists the country had to offer, he questioned every of his actions, wondering if he was good enough, scared of the consequences his actions could have.

Now no one would beat him up until he was almost unconscious, but there were other ways to punish him. Adam knew his friends expected a lot from him. Dana had been kidnapped by the brotherhood and it was his job to find out what exactly could have happened to her and where she was. The brotherhood had called to meet Sid, but they had refused to give in yet. They couldn't send the man to a random place in the city without knowing where he would be taken to.

They wouldn't find him again. Adam was convinced by that. At the beginning he had believed the Brotherhood of Tradition was only a group of students who had certain believes. Just a group of students which could be found at every university. Soon he had realised that they were facing a real problem.

Those men were students. They had the same believes. But instead of debating and spending time together, they wanted to make sure that every single citizen of New York City would share them. Improvement had to stop. They wanted to start with medicine and the media. Adam expected that sooner or later, people who supported the radio and television would get into trouble as well. Him included.

But for now, they had chosen Dr. Sid Hammerback; a man who was trying to use the newest improvements in the medical section to help his patients. He was one of the most modern doctors in the city; the perfect target for those students.

Kidnapping his wife was a wise idea to blackmail him. Adam knew they wouldn't hurt her until they had what they wanted and then they would let her go again. At least he hoped that. He wasn't sure what they would do to Sid though.

Adam had spotted his informant long time before the man had seen him. He was well trained when it came to this kind of work. Thanks to his skills he had managed to get a statement from the corrupt officer a while ago. His informants usually didn't dare to lie to him. Adam had to admit he was surprised by that. He knew he often came across as nervous and shy, some people even believed he was strange. He was good at his job though; probably this was responsible for the respect people were paying him.

The informant had finally seen him and quickly made his way over to the bench Adam was sitting on. With a nervous sigh he sat down.

"You know, I'm really risking a lot when I talk to you," he said. "I can't give you much this time. I think they found out that I'm not as...trustworthy as they believed. I don't want to get into trouble."

"Of course not," Adam answered. "What can you tell me about Dana Monroe-Hammerback?"

"The wife of the doctor?" the informant asked. "They kidnapped her."

"I know," Adam replied, looking at the man next to him. The student was visibly nervous. He could understand him; if the brotherhood found out what he was doing, he would be in serious trouble. "But what did they do with her and why did they kidnap her? Are they planning to harm her?"

The man shook his head. "No. No, I don't think they want to hurt her. They want to use her to blackmail the doctor. He's supposed to meet them and then they want to take care of him."

"Take care of him?" Adam couldn't help but wince at the words. "What does that mean?" When the man didn't answer but stared at the ground in front of him, he had his answer. "They are more dangerous than I expected."

"They are, and you don't want to imagine what they'll do to me if they find out I'm even talking to you," the informant told him. "If I was you, I'd be more careful anyway. They aren't happy with you either."

"I know." Adam nodded. "Alright, do you have any idea where the doctor's wife could be?"

The informant shook his head. "No. Not all the members know it for sure, but I believe she is hidden somewhere in the university. There are many rooms that aren't really used by anyone, especially in the basement. They tend to use the instinct of people to believe that the answers for questions are always complicated. No one would expect they are hiding her right in front of their eyes."

"That makes sense." Adam nodded again. "Anything else you can give me?"

The informant shook his head. "Just a warning. They are more dangerous than you can imagine. They might be just students and they might not be many. But they know what they're doing. They're obsessed. They won't stop until you stop them." He got up. "I better go now. Sorry I couldn't do more for you."

"It's alright, you helped me a lot already, believe me," Adam reassured the young man. He watched how his informant almost ran away through the park. He couldn't help the lump that was building in his throat. This brotherhood was no group of students with the same believes. It was an organisation that was against everything new the 20th century was bringing the people.

With a sigh, Adam got up. He knew he would be their next victim. But for now they had to find Dana and protect Sid. Then they had to find the leads which he knew his informant would have never revealed. But they would have to find another way.

* * *

Dana was surprised by how much the young student had talked with her already. He had revealed that his name was Reed Garret, that he had gotten involved with the brotherhood because he thought that too much improvement would ruin society and that sometimes they were scaring him.

In fact, Dana believed that this man had simply gotten involved with the wrong people. He wanted to talk, even if he didn't know it yet. She was grateful for the fact that the brotherhood had been careless enough to send this young man to her. They didn't believe he was worth a higher position, they didn't know how much he was willing to talk though. They also had no idea that their hostage was no shy woman who was too scared to use the advantages of her situation.

Once again the door was opened and the young man entered the room. He was carrying a bottle of water and a glass for her and like usually he gave her a sigh and nervous smile as he closed the door and sat down on the floor in front of her.

"Thank you," Dana said friendly. She took a large sip of the water, just then realising how thirsty she actually was. Reed watched her closely. He was quiet but his whole body language was speaking for him. He wasn't comfortable with the fact they had kidnapped someone.

"Where are we by the way?" Dana wanted to know as if she was asking for the most useless information. It was worth a try.

"At the university," Reed indeed answered. "The brotherhood uses some of the old rooms in the basement. Professors don't use them at all, so the chances that someone would ever come down here are pretty much non existent."

"I see," Dana replied. She watched the young man closely. It was her chance again and she wanted to use it. She knew she had to be careful but she also knew she had to ask the questions she needed answers for. "Reed, you always keep on saying 'they'. Who do you mean? I guess not every member of this brotherhood has the same position."

Reed blushed. "Oh, I'm not allowed to tell you."

"I understand," Dana said, not willing to give up yet. "You don't really have a high position, do you? I mean, having to take care of the hostage while everyone else is working on the much bigger plans...I bet that's not really a nice feeling."

Reed blushed even more. "Everyone has to start at the bottom. You have to work hard to earn the trust of the brotherhood. You have to prove that you're worth their attention and that you can work on the bigger plans together with them."

"I bet there are some people in really high positions who decide whether you're worth their attention or not, right?" Dana wanted to know. "From what I know, such groups usually have a few leaders who make all the decisions. They can also simply force you to leave the brotherhood I guess?"

Dana saw the fear flickering in the man's eyes. "You won't be allowed to leave the brotherhood again," he said. "I mean, I know where they work and what they have planned. I would have too many information."

Dana raised her eyebrows in faked surprise. "What does that mean? Would they...?"

"I don't know," Reed answered quietly. "The brotherhood has two leaders. They decide what happens. I don't know if anyone has ever tried to leave the brotherhood."

"Who are those two?" Dana asked directly, using the moment of distraction as the young man tried to remember if anyone ever tried to leave the brotherhood.

"Clayton Dobson and Dennis James Pratt," Reed answered before he could stop himself. When he realised what he had done, he stared at Dana in shock. "Oh no, I was not supposed to say that!" The fear in his eyes shocked her. Dana could only imagine what this information meant for the brotherhood. She had heard that the brotherhood most likely was led by a handful of people and if those were caught by the police, the chances were high they would destroy the whole group of students, especially when the university would keep a close eyes on the former members. Probably those would get arrested as well or at least would have to leave the university.

"Please don't let them know that I told you that," Reed pleaded.

"I won't," Dana replied. She knew she could be glad the young man rather asked her to keep the information a secret rather than running to those leaders who would only have one option to stop her from using this information.

* * *

For hours now, they were sitting in Mac's office. Adam had just returned and Flack and Jessica had joined as well. Lindsay was sitting on the couch between Danny and Stella. Her husband was still holding her hand. He knew she was just as nervous as Sid. Lindsay had read through those papers Adam had shown to her. The brotherhood was dangerous; there was no doubt they would do a lot to get what they wanted. She also knew though that they wouldn't harm Dana as long as they needed her to blackmail her father.

"We have to react to their demands soon," Flack just said, flipping through one of Adam's files.

Danny nodded. "I think we can't expect more from your informant, Adam?"

Adam shook his head. "No. I'm already surprised we met me again. I think he's getting himself in danger if he says more. I think it's safe to believe Dana has to be somewhere in the university."

"The building is huge," Lindsay said with a deep sigh. "She could be everywhere. The professors told us more than once that in the basement you could easily get lost. It's like a whole world of its own down there. She could be everywhere."

Stella nodded in agreement. "I think if you simply go to the university and look for her, they will have hurt her before you even find the right room."

"Yeah, unfortunately," Mac agreed.

"At least we know she won't be hurt by them until they get what they want," Jessica said. "Maybe we can let them wait a little longer to get more information?"

"Why can't we just send me to this place where they wanted to meet me?" Sid asked. The situation was slowly getting too much for him. Like his daughter he was worried, but that aside he blamed himself for the fact Dana had been kidnapped in the first place.

"This is no option, Sid," Adam told him. "My informant let me know that they wouldn't let you go again, if you know what I mean with that."

"We need to find out where she is for sure," Lindsay said, running a hand through her curly hair. She looked up at Danny. "I think I won't be able to get any information if I meet some of the students I know?"

He shook his head firmly. "You won't meet anyone. You're Sid's and Dana's daughter."

Mac nodded. "We'll have to find another way to get the information we need."

Lindsay looked up at Danny again who squeezed her hand gently. The situation was complicated but together, they would create a plan.

**Preview: The friends get an anonymous hint. Meanwhile Dana promises to help a member of the brotherhood.**


	68. The Informant

**A/N: First of all, I'm so sorry I didn't update this fic for such a long time! But sometimes it happens and you get a writer's block for a story. But now I'm over this writer's block, I got new ideas and new motivation. Here is finally the next chapter. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing and for being so patient! I love you guys for your wonderful support! Thank you so much! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, rapidtetv, saturn567, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, SMacked-FLangell-DLBound, rocksmacked, lily moonlight and Storywriter!**

**Chapter 68: The Informant**

Yawning lightly, Mac glanced at his watch. He was used to working a lot but at the moment work was taking over too much and it got harder and harder to concentrate. They couldn't allow themselves not to work hard; they had to find Dana. No one knew what would happen next, what the brotherhood would ask them to do or what they would do to her.

Mac didn't have a doubt that Dana was safe for now. They needed her to put pressure on them. Fortunately, Sid had asked them for help because Mac was convinced that if they hadn't stopped him, the doctor would have agreed to the brotherhood's request. He would have offered himself in exchange for Dana and Mac knew this would have been a mistake.

The brotherhood had a goal and they needed Dana to be fine if they wanted to anyone to follow their requests. From previous cases, Mac knew they couldn't wait too long. In some cases, waiting had the opposite effect; the hostage takers got impatient and got rid of their hostage.

He had enough experience to know that in this case, things were a bit different. They wouldn't get rid of Dana but he knew they could easily take more hostages. This was concerning him and so he stayed awake, trying his best to solve the case.

With a sigh, Mac glanced at the wall across of him. Behind this wall, Danny was sitting in his office together with Lindsay, like him not able to sleep. He could imagine how worried the young woman was. She didn't know what to do and wanted help her mother. Mac was glad that Danny was taking care of her. Lindsay was a stubborn and determined woman, just like her best friend Stella. If Danny hadn't made sure his wife knew that investigating on her own would be too dangerous and had promised that they would find Dana as soon as possible, Lindsay would have tried to get in contact with the brotherhood by herself.

He couldn't blame her though. Mac had never been into the traditional way of believing that a woman wasn't capable to do anything else but cook, clean the house and take care of the children. He believed it had been a good step into the right direction to allow women to vote. One reason why he loved Stella was her strong will. She wouldn't back off just because of being a woman. She knew what was right and wrong and fought for her wishes. Lindsay was doing the same and Mac knew that Danny appreciated that a lot.

In situations like this, such an attitude could cause problems though and Mac was glad that Lindsay listened to her husband and instead tried to help Danny in his office instead of trying to take things into her own hands.

Mac sighed. Those tough cases never were a joy, especially when they got personal. One of his rules had always been to not get personally involved with cases. This was the reason why he had told Danny not to start any relationships with clients. He had soon realised that it wasn't always possible to follow this rule. His friend had fallen in love with a client, but probably those feelings wee responsible for the fact that they had finally managed to catch Daniel Katums and his criminal friends. He had gotten into trouble because of investigating when Stella's plans had been stolen. Now Dana had been kidnapped. In those cases, it was impossible to push personal feelings aside.

The sound of his ringing telephone interrupted Mac in his thoughts. Immediately, he felt his heart starting to race. "Taylor," he answered his phone.

"Am I talking to Private Investigator Mac Taylor?" a male voice asked. The voice was deep but muffled by something. Mac knew this trick already; anonymous callers often used to cover their phone with a thin piece of fabric to manipulate the sound of their voices.

"Yeah. What can I do for you, Sir?" Mac wanted to know.

"I have information that might be interesting for you," the man answered. "About Dana Monroe."

"I'm listening," Mac replied, quickly reaching for a sheet of paper and a pen.

"I might be able to tell you where she is," the man told him. "Do you know that the building of the university had several rooms in the basement? Those are used by the brotherhood. For several activities and now also to hide their hostage."

"Why should I believe you're telling me the truth?" Mac wanted to know. "To know that Dana Monroe was kidnapped by the brotherhood, you have to be part of them I assume. Why should you call me and tell me where she is?"

The man paused for a moment. Mac felt as if he could sense his nervousness through the phone. "Mr. Taylor...Sir, I'm not even supposed to call you. I know you might believe I'm lying, but I'm telling you the truth, Sir. Dana Monroe is here. I can't explain to you why I told you and if it comes out, I'm in serious trouble. Just believe me that she's here."

Before Mac got the chance to reply, all he could hear was the dial tone. In confusion, Mac stared at his phone for a moment before he hung up again. He had to deal with a lot of false information in the past and he knew that not every source was reliable. Of course the chances were high that the brotherhood was trying to trick them, but Mac couldn't help the feeling that this source was reliable. With a sigh, he got up. He had to inform some people.

* * *

Lindsay leaned back in her chair, released a light sigh. She was tired but there was no way for her to sleep. She was sitting across of Danny in his office, watching her husband while he was looking through some of Adam's information about the brotherhood. She had helped him with that but she had problems with focussing on the papers. Dana had been kidnapped and it was not easy to push her concern aside.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find her soon," Danny said softly, interrupting her in her thoughts.

"I know," Lindsay replied. She sighed lightly. "I just wish we had an idea of where she could be. We have to be so careful. We can't just go looking for her. She is their hostage. I hope Dad won't suddenly decide that he should do what the members of the brotherhood want him to do."

"He won't," Danny reassured her. "Don's taking care of him. He'll make sure that Sid doesn't do anything he might regret. Also we can be sure that Sid is safe as long as he's together with Don. You don't have to worry. I'm sure everything will be fine again soon."

Lindsay offered a tiny smile. "Thank you. For being so supportive and trying to calm me down. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have you and also all of our friends. There has been a time when I felt like I had to do everything by myself."

"Well, I know perfectly well how you felt like," he said. "I know how much you have appreciate people who are there for you and who are willing to help. I guess even though those times were hard for you and me, it also had its advantages as we learnt to appreciate support. And to give it to others because we know how important it is."

She nodded. "I agree with you, we learnt a lot from those experiences. But your love and support means the most to me."

"I'm feeling the same way," he answered softly and her smile widened. This closeness between them was unique and both of them were grateful for it.

"Do you really think there is a way to trick those people?" Lindsay asked then. "They seem to be so organised. They seem to know exactly what they're doing."

"Yeah, but every organisation has their weak points," Danny replied. "We just have to find them."

"And I guess I found the first one."

In surprise, Danny and Lindsay turned around. They hadn't heard how Mac had entered his office. Lindsay tried to read his expression and could feel her heart beating faster. There was something in Mac's eyes that excited her.

"You got any new information, Mac?" Danny wanted to know.

He nodded. "That's at least what I believe," he answered, making his way over to his partner's desk. "I just got a phone call. The man tried to manipulate his voice and he told me that he knows where Dana is."

"Really?" In excitement, Lindsay had almost jumped up from her chair, but instinctively, she forced herself not to do it. There were still moments in which her manners kicked in.

"Who else but a member of the brotherhood would know where she is?" Danny asked.

"That's what I asked him as well," Mac replied. "And why I was supposed to believe him. He said that he can't explain why he called me and then he hung up."

Danny nodded slowly. "And what do you think of this? Is it a fake? An attempt at luring us into a wrong direction?"

"I don't think so, to tell you the truth," Mac answered. "I know the behaviour of this man is suspicious and it makes you wonder why he would call us in the first place. Why would a member of the brotherhood give such a secret away? But the way he talked...I have experiences with wrong sources and to me, he seemed reliable."

Danny nodded again. "And usually you're right with your instinct."

"So maybe this man really knows where my mother is?" Lindsay asked. She couldn't believe it; there was finally the chance that they could find out where Dana was.

"Maybe," Mac replied. "He told me that the brotherhood is using rooms in the basement of the university. We already got this information before, so I guess this is rather a proof than a fake."

"Makes sense," Danny answered. "What will we do now?"

"We have to call the others. Then we'll plan it," Mac said. "We have to risk it. There's a big chance she's there. We have to be careful, but we should trust in this information, if you ask for my opinion."

"I agree with you," Lindsay replied. "Even though I doubt I have the experience to know if you're right or not."

Danny chuckled. "Well, I agree as well. We should give it a try. There are often people who can't handle the pressure of such an organisation and spill some information."

Lindsay nodded. She didn't have any experience in investigating, but she believed Danny was right; there were always people who couldn't keep a secret. There was at least a chance that this phone call had been a reliable hint.

* * *

The longer Dana had to sit in the small room that was supposed to be her prison for the time she was the hostage of the brotherhood, the less frightened she was. She knew she had to be careful if she didn't want to get herself in danger with becoming reckless. If she got too bold and forgot about how dangerous those people were, she could easily get herself into trouble. But as Reed Garret entered her cell again, she couldn't help but smile. She couldn't do anything against the way she felt when she saw the young man; he could have been her son. A son who had chosen a wrong path and now had gotten himself into such a brotherhood who didn't mean anything good. And he knew that.

"Hello Reed," she greeted him. "I was hoping you'd visit me soon. It's not nice to sit in this room with nothing around but cold, naked walls." Dana paused. She hadn't missed the expression in the young man's eyes. There was concern, almost fear. "What happened, Reed? Is everything alright?"

"I think I made a mistake," he answered. "Many mistakes. If the brotherhood finds out it's me..." He shuddered.

Dana could imagine what he was talking about. He had revealed the names of the leaders of the brotherhood; exactly the information Mac needed. If they caught those two men, chances were high they would also find the other high positioned members. If all of them were out of the way, there was a chance that the brotherhood would soon be no problem anymore.

"It's not only because of what I told you," Reed said as if he had read her mind. "I called someone. I called Private Investigator Mac Taylor. I told him where you are. He thought I was lying at first but I think he believed me then."

Dana stared at Reed in disbelief. "Really? You told Mr. Taylor where I am?"

Reed nodded, fear in his eyes. "I couldn't stand it anymore. I...well, I just wanted to belong somewhere. That is why I wanted to be part of the brotherhood. I wanted to be proud of being a member of such a mighty group. But...I honestly believe they are wrong. They want to threaten Dr. Hammerback, and I feel like that's a mistake. He's a good doctor and to me, he seems like he really cares for his patients and wants the best for them. If he ignores all those changes and improvements, he might not be able to do that. I also think a lot of other improvements are good. They're helping us, they might make a lot of things easier."

Dana nodded. She had already suspected that Reed had his problems with the brotherhood. She was convinced that not every member really wanted to be part of it; some of them just wanted to belong somewhere. Like Reed.

"If they find out what I did...I don't even want to imagine what they'll do to me," Reed added.

"They won't do anything to you," Dana replied, trying to calm the young man down. "Maybe Mr. Taylor will find a way to get me out of this prison here, and then you could admit it was you who released this information. Just to him and his partners. He'll make sure the brotherhood won't hurt you."

"Are you sure?" Reed asked insecurely.

Dana nodded. "I am, yes."

She had felt it all the time; Reed was different. Now he had gotten himself into a complicated situation with telling Mac about where she was. Dana was determined to make sure that Reed got a second chance and would get the support her deserved.


	69. Support From All Sides

**A/N: I think it is about time for a new chapter! Thanks to everyone who is still reading this fic! Thanks so much for reviewing! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, SM-FA-RaiNtrain, rocksmacked, lily moonlight and Storywriter!**

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Chapter 69: Support From All Sides**

Dana knew Reed Garret had understood that he could trust in her. She had to admit she was surprised by herself. She had always believed she was a strong woman; after all there was a lot she had handled in the past, even if some of her actions had been mistakes.

Dana knew she would never forgive herself that she had left New York City, without explaining to her daughter why she was doing so and without giving her husband a chance to make up for neglecting her.

This mistake had followed her for so many years and she hated herself for not finding the courage to make it good again with simply returning the moment she had realised she had done something wrong. She should have returned, but for the first and only time, she had been too scared. Back then, staying away from those who she loved had been easier than returning and admitting her mistake with the risk to be send away again.

Fortunately somewhere along the line she had gotten the courage to do it. She was back, Sid had forgiven her and so had Lindsay. They had both given her a second chance and all of the sudden, Dana wasn't lonely anymore. There was not only her family but also many other people who cared for her.

People who were certainly already looking for her. But instead of sitting in this small, cold room, being scared, Dana had surprised herself with her own strength. She had used the chance and found out who was leading the brotherhood that meant so much danger to innocent people. The fear that anyone could seriously plan on hurting her husband had given her the strength to speak up.

Now there was Reed Garret, and she had quickly realised that he was the chance she had hoped for. He had given her those names, he had called Mac to inform him and now he was trying to find a way to get them out safely.

Dana felt sorry for Reed. The young man was different to the other leaders of the brotherhood. In fact, Dana couldn't even blame him for being part of it. He had hoped to be part of something. He didn't want to be an outsider. Not every person had the strength to be on their own; some people needed others around them, they wanted to know there were people who they belonged to.

Due to this wish, Reed had become a member of the brotherhood and soon had realised that the believes of those men had nothing to do with his own. Unfortunately he didn't see a way out anymore and Dana was determined to keep her promise. Reed was a good man; he had proven that to her. He deserved help and support and she would make sure he would get it. She had no doubt that Mac or Flack would try their best to arrange something to support and protect this young man, especially as he would be helpful to catch those who were leading this brotherhood.

So deep in her thoughts, she was startled as the door to her room was opened. She wasn't surprised to see Reed, but the look he gave her caught her attention. The young man had something in mind.

"I have good news for you," he greeted her.

"You have good news for me?" Dana looked at him in surprise. "What exactly does that mean?"

Reed threw a nervous glance towards the door before he turned back to her. "I told you I would look for a way to get you out of here, didn't I? I found out there is a secret passage that leads out of the basement and even out of the university."

"A secret passage?" Dana was unsure if she was supposed to be excited about that or worried. "I believe if there is a secret passage, the brotherhood knows about it and they will make sure to protect it for the case someone tries to get in or out."

Reed nodded. "Yes, of course. But I took care of everything already." He smiled. "As you said so correctly, I'm a very unimportant member. Now I went to a member with a higher rank and told him that I really want to get more to do. I told him how much I agree with the believes of the brotherhood and that I want nothing more but being a real part of it. I told him I want to do more but taking care of you and bringing you food. He wanted to know what I was thinking about exactly and I asked if maybe I could do some work as a guard. Thanks to taking care of you, I have experience with that already. I asked if maybe I could control a door or a passage; something that's not used so much but needs to be protect anyway. You cannot imagine how pleased I was when he indeed suggested to protect this secret passage. It's not even far away from here."

For a couple of moments, Dana could only glance back at Reed in surprise. Then she gave him an impressed look. "I see you have a lot of talents, young man. I don't understand how you could have such bad thoughts about yourself. Getting this arranged is fantastic and you should be proud of that." She smiled as she saw how the young man blushed. "When will we try to get out of here?"

"I will return in half an hour. That is when I will start my shift to protect this entrance," he answered.

Dana nodded. "But are you sure you really want to do this for me? I promise you the police will protect you but I do not know how quickly they will be able to arrest all those men."

Reed shrugged. "I know it is risky, but I don't want to be part of this brotherhood anymore. They're wrong with what they believe in. I want to be free again, and I want you to return to your family as well."

Dana nodded, her smile growing. "Good, Reed. Then we'll do this together."

* * *

Mac had called everyone to come back to his office. Even though there was the chance that the information they had gotten was a false one, they wanted to risk it. Dana was a hostage for too long now; they didn't want to wait any longer.

Stella had arrived sooner than the others. She had been surprised only to find Danny and Mac in her fiancé's office.

"Where's Lindsay?" she asked.

"In my office. She wanted to be on her own for a few minutes," Danny answered. His voice but even more the expression in his eyes told her that he was concerned. Stella could imagine he had tried his best to talk her out of being alone in his office, had tried to offer support or to listen to her. But she knew how stubborn Lindsay could be. She trusted in her husband completely, yet there were moments in which she still tended to hide her feelings. It was an old instinct and it was difficult to get over it completely.

Nodding, Stella left the office again to head to her friend. For her, this situation was easier. Danny and Lindsay were husband and wife. They trusted in each other more than in anyone else. They also had a closer connection, and in some cases it was easier to talk to someone who had a light distance to the situation.

Briefly, Stella knocked at the door but didn't wait until she was let in. Lindsay, who was sitting on the small couch in Danny's office, couldn't help the nervous feeling rising deep inside her as Stella opened the door. She knew her friend good enough to know that she wouldn't back off. Unlike Danny, she wouldn't allow her to get her will. Lindsay knew it had been difficult for him to let her stay in his office, but his respect for her feelings, especially after promising that he wouldn't treat her the way women usually were treated by men had forced him to listen to her wish.

Stella was her best friend though. They had a different relationship. More than once, they had given each other the push they had needed; for example to do the jobs they wanted to do, to open up to the men they loved.

"Do you think it's good for you to hide in here?" Stella asked like Lindsay had expected. She closed the door and joined her friend on the couch.

Lindsay shrugged. Ever since she had found out that Dana had been kidnapped, she felt a strange, thick feeling in her chest and her throat. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't. It was a paralysing feeling.

"I just don't want to interfere with the investigation," she said.

"And why are you worried about that all of the sudden?" Stella wanted to know.

Again, Lindsay shrugged. "I'm not blind. I see how worried Danny is. He is worried because of my mother of course; we all are. But I know him. He's my husband. I can see it in his eyes. He's worried because of me."

"Why should there be anything wrong with that?" Stella asked back. "Like you just said correctly, he is your husband. Of course he's worried. The two of you love each other. You have such a close connection. You trust in each other more than in anyone else. You're soul mates. Wouldn't you worry because of him as well if he was in your situation?"

"But isn't it better when he can focus on work and getting my mother free instead of thinking he has to be there for me all the time?" Lindsay sighed. "He's showing so much support. He keeps on holding my hand, he keeps on encouraging me with everything he says and tries to calm me down. He's so sweet and loving. I don't want him to get overwhelmed by also having to do his job."

"But sweetheart, do you think he's feeling any better now?" Stella shook her head. "I've just been in there. I never saw a man who was more worried. He accepted your wish to stay in here for a moment, but this only makes it harder for him. Of course he is very protective of you. For many reasons. You two didn't meet like an average couple. He knows exactly what you had to go through back then and he knows it is still affecting you sometimes. He knows how difficult it was for you to get back in contact with your mother and how much she means to you. Of course he is having a close eye on you now to make sure you're okay and of course he is offering support. Yes, this might interfere with work, but he is not the only one working this case. He is human. We all are. You are his highest priority and hiding in here won't change that. Apart from that, you should really know how he is feeling, because when he was dealing with his own problems, you were also always there for him, the whole time."

Lindsay nodded slowly. It took her a few moments before she could reply. "I know you're right. I just don't want to exhaust him with having to take care of me so much."

Stella offered a warm smile. "He's your husband. He loves you. There's not more I have to say about that."

Before Lindsay could reply, a knocking at the door interrupted her. The door was opened carefully and Danny stepped into the room. She could see his hesitation and concern; obviously Stella had been right. Staying away from him for a few moments hadn't worked the way she had wished for.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to see if everything's alright," he said.

Stella got up from the couch. "You're not interrupting. I'll see if my fiancé needs any help and maybe you tell your wife that you have no problem with offering support." With a little wink at her friend, Stella left the room again, making sure the door was closed.

"You thought I have a problem with offering you support?" Danny asked surprised as he joined Lindsay on the couch.

Her cheeks reddened lightly. "I just didn't want to interfere too much. You have your work to do, along with Mac and Don. I didn't want you to think you have to support me all the time."

He raised his eyebrows at her words. "But you're my wife. I know we have to find your mother and we're trying everything to do so. But as you said, Mac and Don are working on this case as well." He took her hands into his and like always, she was amazed by the warmth that immediately started to spread through her. "I want to support you. There is no way for me not to do it. You're my wife and I love you. When I had my problems with my family and my past, you were there for me as well and you wouldn't have allowed me to step away from you. I won't accept you doing that either. Yes, I have to do my work, but this is not a random case. This is about family. And this is about you. You're my highest priority."

She couldn't help but smile at his words. "That's what Stella said as well."

"And she is very right with that." Danny moved closer to her. "Don't you worry. We will find her. We're a good team of talented and qualified men and women. She will be fine. But please, don't step away from me because you think I don't have time for supporting you."

"I will try my best," Lindsay answered. Instinctively, she leaned into him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I hope we can find her soon. There has been a time when I had no idea what she was doing or why she hadn't wanted to be here with us anymore. Now she is back and everything is so nice again. I want us to find my mother finally."

"We will find her soon. Mac and I are pretty sure the information are reliable," he told her.

Lindsay nodded. Indeed Danny and Mac believed that the man who had called them had given them good information. They fitted to what Adam's informant had told them. She knew he was right; soon Dana would return. And until then, she would allow him to support her. Because she would do the same for him.


	70. Step By Step

**A/N: Gosh, I'm sorry I didn't update for such a long time again! It took me so long because I don't have any backup chapters, and I like to have some backup chapters when I update. But well, I have some chapters planned out and will definitely write them in the next days, so I will have more to post and will be able to update more often again. I so hope you will continue reading this fic. I have a lot of storylines planned for you. :) A huge thank you to afrozenheart412 for being such a wonderful person! Thanks to everyone for your patience! Thanks to everyone who's reading! Thanks for reviewing! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, SM-FA-RaiNtrain, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Storywriter, lily moonlight and rocksmacked!**

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Chapter 70: Step By Step**

Dana had been surprised by the fact that she hadn't felt nervous at all while being locked in her cell. Something was telling her that the members of the brotherhood wouldn't hurt her. They needed her because they wanted to blackmail Sid. For that, Dana needed to be fine. She had no doubt that Mac and the others would make sure that Sid wouldn't make a mistake. Unless the brotherhood got impatient, she would be fine.

But now that Reed Garret had found a way to get her out of her cell and return her to her family and friends, she was getting nervous. Even though Reed was supposed to protect the secret passage, she didn't know if maybe another member would show up and catch them right when they would try to get out of the building. Then the both of them were in serious trouble.

Yet she didn't plan on staying in her cell. There was a chance to escape and Dana wanted to use it. She didn't know which other chances she had and she didn't want to wait any longer. Apart from that, she wanted to protect Reed. The young man had called Mac and revealed a lot of information. The more time passed, the more likely it was that sooner or later, someone would find out what he had done.

Nervously, she was pacing up and down in the room and her heart made a little jump as Reed unlocked the door again. The young man's face revealed he was just as nervous as her. For him, this situation was even riskier than for her. Probably the members of the brotherhood would simply lock her in her cell again; hostages tended to try and escape. But if they found out one of their own had betrayed them like that, Reed would have to face much more serious consequences.

"Can we go now?" he whispered. "I'm responsible for the secret passage now and your guard just left briefly, asking me to have a look at your door until he returns. I guess we have five minutes to get you out of here and to the passage before he returns and sees that neither I nor you are here any longer."

"Then I think we shouldn't waist a second," Dana told him. Her heart was racing as she left the room with Reed. She wasn't used to dangerous situations like that. So far, Dana had lived on a farm and in a city. She had to deal with a lot of problems before. Never before, Dana had to face a situation in which she was in such danger though. She and Reed hurried over to the secret passage which was indeed only a few feet away. It was a nice coincidence. Dana suspected that the members who had kidnapped her had chosen this cell because they had entered the building through this passage and hadn't wanted to lead her through the whole basement. Back then it had been a good decision. Now their smart idea had turned out to be a mistake.

The passage was dark and tight. Old, exposed electric bulbs were offering some light. The walls and floor were dirty, dusty and partly wet. To Dana, it felt as if they had discovered a long lost ruin. She and Reed were still hurrying. They had no idea what would happen if the guard returned and found out the two of them had disappeared together. They wouldn't hesitate long to try and find them. They had to be quick.

"What will happen if they find out we escaped?" Dana whispered, fearing that somehow, someone could hear them. "Do you think they will inform those leaders you mentioned? And send them after us?"

Reed shook his head. "You have no idea how those two are. Most members fear them. If Mr. Pratt and Mr. Dobson find out that you escaped and that I helped you...there are many people who would get into trouble because of that. They will try to find us on their own and make this mistake good again before they'll inform them.

"I believe that is good for us," Dana said.

Reed nodded again. "But now I would like us to hurry, Mrs. Monroe."

It was Dana's turn to nod. As quickly and quietly as possible, they hurried through the tunnel. It seemed to go for miles and Dana couldn't help the increasing fear that was filling her at the thought that maybe soon the guards would follow them. But Reed didn't stop and so she didn't either. After a few minutes which seemed to last hours, she noticed something in the distance and as she glanced at Reed, she noticed him smiling.

"Over there is the exit," he pointed out. "We almost did it. Then we have to hurry to get to your friend and make sure no one sees us."

A slight relief Dana filled as they reached the old, wooden door. Quickly, Reed opened it. For a moment, a rush of fear made her shudder again at the thought that maybe they would right run into members of the brotherhood. She didn't know where the tunnel would lead to. But then Reed pushed the door open and Dana realised that it had led them right to an alley behind the large building. From the distance, she could hear the sound of people talking, some cars passed by.

"We're free," she couldn't help but say and a smile lit her face as she looked up into the sky. A sudden feeling of euphoria made her want to shout and laugh. Although she had stayed strong, she had been scared and just now she realised it.

"Not yet," Reed told her. She could hear the nervousness in his voice; he had done something forbidden and he knew it. "We should hurry to get to Mr. Taylor."

"You're right," Dana agreed. But as she followed Reed down the alley and away from the university, she was still smiling at the fact that finally she was free again.

* * *

When Danny and Lindsay returned to Mac's office, their friends and Sid had arrived already. He was holding her hand again and this physical connection showed to him how much she needed this closeness. She was used to being strong and hiding pain. The fact that she had stayed in his office because she didn't want him to worry proved that to her.

"Look at all those people who want to find Dana," Danny whispered into her ear. "She'll be back in no time."

Lindsay offered a tiny smile. "I know. Thanks for reassuring me again."

He squeezed her hand gently in response. As they stepped closer, he noticed that Mac's desk was covered in paper.

"What's that?" he wanted to know.

"Plans of the university," Flack answered.

Adam nodded. "When Mac told me that we might know where Dana is, I thought it'd be good to know how to get into the building. We can't just walk in there and go down to the basement and expect no one will notice it."

"Did you find anything already?" Lindsay wanted to know, stepping closer. "I would like to help you, but so far I never tried to get to the basement."

Danny joined her at the desk. "I'm sure there are ways into the basement. It's quite an old building. I don't think you can only access it from inside the building."

The others stepped over to the table as well. Sid narrowed his eyes as he examined the plan. Neither of them was used to reading such plans and the various lines were confusing. The building was indeed old and had many hallways that seemed to connect all the different rooms with each other.

"This basement...it reminds me of the one from the building my practice is in," Sid said then. "I think you know that there is a small yard surrounding it. In the basement, I have a passage that leads you out of the building and to an alley behind it." He bent over the plans and suddenly, a smile lit his face. "Like this. Can you see this passage here? There is this small alley behind the university which leads to the street. Here, can you see this door? Follow this passage, it leads right into the basement."

"Indeed," Mac said.

"Maybe that is how they keep on getting in and out of the building," Stella suggested.

Lindsay nodded in agreement. "Maybe that explains why I didn't notice anything unusual so far."

"It's the perfect way for them to get everything they need into the building and to their rooms without being caught by students or professors," Danny agreed. "Guests could also enter and leave without anyone noticing them. This is also surely the passage which they used to get Dana in there. You can't lead a hostage through a crowded university."

"And what's a secret entrance for them will now help us to get into the building unnoticed as well," Mac added. "Fantastic discovery, Sid. Now all we have to do is planning how we want to get in there and how we want to find and free Dana. She could be everywhere. There are several rooms down there which could be used as prisons."

"Who of you will go in there?" Jessica asked. Her voice revealed that this part of the plan wasn't liked by her too much. They all knew that the brotherhood shouldn't be underestimated.

"I believe Mac, Danny, Adam and I should pay the university a little visit," Don told her. "Adam has been at the university a lot before, and Danny, Mac and I know how to handle such situations."

"I want to join you as well," Lindsay said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Danny replied. He didn't like to give her this answer, but in his eyes, no other option was acceptable. He wasn't surprised by the angry look she gave him.

"And why not?" she asked him. "Because I'm a woman? Do you think I can't handle this situation? It's about my mother and I proved before that I can work with you. I did when we tried to get a statement from Officer Malone."

"I didn't mean it like that," he told her. Of course her anger was understandable to him and usually he would have supported her with her wish. This case was different though. "You know usually I would love you to help us. But this here...it has absolutely nothing to do with you being a woman. I also wouldn't take Sid or Sheldon with us. We're experienced with such jobs. We did undercover work, we arrested criminals before. It is dangerous to get into this building. We'll have to be armed and we'll have to know how to use those weapons. Believe me please that this has nothing to do with you being a woman."

He searched eye contact with her, hoping that she had understood him. Danny knew that even though she tried her best to work on it, Lindsay got insecure easily. For years, she had been confronted with the image society had of a woman. She was supposed to be a good housewife, stay at home and take care of the house. Fortunately he had managed to convince her that he had a different view of her and he didn't mind to remind her of that.

"Do you understand what I meant?" he added softly.

She nodded, sighing lightly. "I know you're right."

"That doesn't make us like the plan any better though," Stella said.

"I understand," Mac replied.

He wanted to say more, but was interrupted by a knocking on his door. The friends exchanged a surprised look; they weren't expecting anyone else.

"Come in, please," he said.

Like the others, Danny and Lindsay turned to Mac's office door. It was opened and the moment they realised who their visitors were, everyone stared at them in surprise. They had expected a lot but not who they were facing now.

"I'm back," Dana said, offering a smile as entered the room.


	71. The Good Guys Win

**A/N: I know I said it before, but I'd like to say it again: Thanks so much to everyone for their patience! I know I'm quite slow with updating sometimes, I'm sorry! But work often gets into the way (it's really difficult to update every day while having a full time job, and as this fic here isn't always easy to write, it's sometimes easier to update another story or just write a oneshot), plus I'm also writing for AU bigbang and crossbigbang over at LJ, and I just recently finished apocabigbang! Thanks to everyone who is still following this fic. I can't believe how long it is already! And I have to admit that due to your lovely feedback and the knowledge that I have your support, I still keep on writing. I'm almost done with my bigbang fics, and I also updated the plan for this fic, so hopefully I will be finally able to update more often, like I said before. Thanks again for reading and reviewing, you are so amazing, I hope you know that! Special thanks to afrozenheart412, SM-FA-RaiNtrain, rocksmacked, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Storywriter and lily moonlight!**

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**Chapter 71: The Good Guys Win**

It took Lindsay a couple of moments to realise that it was indeed Dana who had walked into Mac's office as if nothing had happened. She, Danny and the others had just been wondering what to do to get her free again. Now she was back, and all of them needed their moment to understand what had just happened.

"Dana," Sidney said disbelieving, finally breaking the silence after several long moments. "Oh God, you're back."

He got up from his chair and with a few long steps closed the distance between himself and his wife. With a relieved sigh, he embraced Dana tightly. Lindsay had seen her father in a couple of emotional moments before, especially since Dana had returned to New York. She still needed to get used to that; after all she had grown up with a father who had mostly tried to hide his feelings in front of her and had taught her to do the same.

"How did you manage to get free?" Mac asked as Sidney released Dana from his embrace again. "Did they allow you to go?"

Smiling brightly, Dana shook her head. "No, thanks to this gentleman here, I was able to flee." With an encouraging nod, she signalled the young man, who had tried to hide near the door, to enter the room as well. "This is Mr. Reed Garret. Thanks to him, I'm here now. He found a way to get me out of my cell and out of the university where they held me hostage."

"Mr. Garret?" Mac studied the young man closely. "How could you help Dana to escape?"

Reed's face turned bright red at this question. Playing with the edge of his jacket, he stared down onto the floor. "Mr. Taylor, I was the one who called you. I was part of this brotherhood and I called because as of lately, I started to believe that what they're doing is not right. They're so dangerous, so brutal and so wrong with their believes. I didn't like that they threatened poor Dr. Hammerback and kidnapped his wife to blackmail him. I thought that it was about time to do something right."

"So you helped to free Dana." Danny nodded. Still sitting next to Lindsay, he had grabbed her hand as Dana had entered the room. Gently squeezing it, he offered his wife a soft smile before he turned back to Reed. "Do you think you would be able to give us even more information?"

"Like the names of the leaders of this brotherhood?" Reed nodded. He hesitated for another moment before he continued, "I know I might get myself into trouble for that, but I fear this brotherhood could get mightier and mightier I believe what they're doing is wrong, so I would be pleased to help you."

"You don't have to worry about getting into trouble, Mr. Garret," Mac promised. "We will take care of you and protect you."

Reed smile relieved. "Thank you, Mr. Taylor. I believe you would like to know the names now?" He took a deep breath, revealing how nervous he still was. "The leaders of this brotherhood are Clayton Dobson and Dennis James Pratt. They make the important decisions. Everyone has to listen to them and do what they want. They founded the brotherhood and they control all the members. No one would know what to do if they didn't tell us."

"Do you know where Mr. Dobson and Mr. Pratt are right now?" Flack wanted to know.

Reed nodded. "Yes. They should be in class right now. They usually have some courses at this time of the day. All of us know where they are for the case we might need them to make a decision. I can tell you where they are."

"That is fantastic," Mac said satisfied. "Mr. Reed, I would recommend you to stay here though. I cannot foresee what will happen if we go and arrest those two men. You should be safe here."

Reed nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Taylor."

Mac nodded. Turning to Danny and Flack, he added, "I think our plans changed a bit. I believe we should pay Mr. Dobson and Mr. Pratt a visit."

"I think that sounds like a good plan," Danny answered with a smirk. Lindsay knew how much her husband wanted to arrest those men; because of what they had done to Sidney and Dana, but also because they had worried her so much. Once again, she felt how he squeezed her hand, for a short moment turning his full attention to her. "Don't you worry. Dana is safe, and we will take those men by surprise. They will be arrested before they even know what is happening. Then this brotherhood won't bother anyone anymore."

Lindsay smiled softly. "I know. I'm so glad she is back."

"Me, too," Danny answered, kissing her gently.

A few minutes later, the men had left to take care of Dobson and Pratt. While Adam took care of Reed, the women were still so stunned by the recent events that they needed another couple of moments before they could break the silence again. It was Lindsay who finally dared to speak up.

"Mom," she managed to say, immediately feeling a thick lump in her throat. Since the moment her mother had walked through the door of Mac's office, her heart had been racing and she had struggled hard with handling those almost overwhelming emotions she was experiencing.

"Lindsay." Smiling warmly, Dana sat down next to her daughter. Like always, she could read Lindsay's mind. She didn't need to hear anything to know what her daughter had to go through while she had been held hostage by this brotherhood. Since she was back in New York, they had built a strong connection; something both, mother and daughter, had always been longing for.

"Are you alright, Mom?" Lindsay wanted to know. She had tried her best to hold back her tears, but before she could do anything, the first rolled down her cheek already. It became more and more difficult to control those emotions.

"I'm fine. I really am," Dana promised. Gently, she took Lindsay's hands into hers, stroking them. "I can only imagine how you have been feeling all the time."

"But that has to be nothing compared to how you felt like when you were trapped in a cell, not knowing what they would do next. You were surely scared," Lindsay replied, giving up on holding back her tears. A tiny sob escaped her. So much, she would have liked to help Dana earlier, to prevent her from having to be locked up in a tiny room in the basement of the university, without being aware of what the brotherhood had planned.

Dana's smile widened. "I have to admit I wasn't scared at all. I knew either you would find a way to get me out of there or I would find one myself."

"I think this strength is something you have in common with your daughter," Stella said with a wink at Lindsay and Jessica nodded in agreement.

"Like I said, everything is alright," Dana repeated, squeezing Lindsay's hands. "Now your husband, Mac and Don will arrest those men and they won't bother anyone anymore. Maybe it was even good they kidnapped me. Otherwise I might not have met this nice gentleman over there who helped us to find out who those men are that wanted to threaten my Sidney."

Lindsay chuckled. "You always see the good in everything."

"That is something else I have in common with my daughter." Dana embraced Lindsay tightly. "I'm so glad to be back here. Now don't you cry anymore. I'm fine and I wasn't scared while being in this cell. Everything is good. Would I lie?"

Lindsay smiled as well. "I think you wouldn't."

"You think I wouldn't? Of course not." Dana winked at her. "You're such a caring and loving person, Lindsay. You worry easily. But you can believe me."

Lindsay nodded. She knew her mother was right. Dana was a strong woman; she had handled the situation in the basement of the university well. She still had a difficult time with believing she was strong as well, even though Danny and especially her mother kept on assuring her that she could be proud of herself because of how she had handled experiences from her past. But she knew that if Dana said she was fine, this was true.

"I think now that Dana is back and that those men are close to being arrested, we should celebrate," Jessica said then. "When the men are back, we should all go to the cafe and celebrate this success."

Stella nodded in agreement. "We also have to thank Mr. Garret for his bravery and for helping not only Dana but us as well."

Once again, Reed blushed. "I liked to help," he answered. "I only hope those men won't find me."

"Mac will keep his promise and protect you, Mr. Garret," Stella promised.

Jessica nodded. "And we would be happy if you joined us in my cafe later so we can celebrate together."

Reed nodded gratefully. Once again, Lindsay used the chance to embrace Dana, more than relieved that she was back and fine. Danny had been right. They would find a way to deal with this brotherhood, and they had won.

* * *

For Danny, Mac and Flack, it hadn't been difficult to get into the university. To heir luck, the hallways were mostly left because those students that were visiting the building at the moment had mostly joined one of the many classes.

There had been a time when arresting criminals had been exciting to Danny. Now he was excited again, but for a different reason. He was excited because Dana was back, and because of how happy this had made Lindsay.

Danny knew how much Dana meant to Lindsay. The women had been apart for so long. It had taken Dana a lot of strength to apologize, and Lindsay a lot of strength to give her mother another chance. She had been so worried, and it hadn't been easy for him to convince her that everything would be just fine.

Now Dana was back and in a couple of minutes, the leaders of this brotherhood would get what they deserved. They would be arrested and get punished for what they had done. Without Dobson and Pratt, the brotherhood would mean no trouble anymore; too much they had depended on those two men. Apart from that, the fact that Dobson and Pratt would be arrested for their crimes would be a warning.

"I hope no one warned them yet," Flack said as they brought themselves in position outside of the room Reed had told them to go to. "Because Mr. Garret and Dana escaped."

"That we'll find out now," Mac said. Keeping his hand at his pistol, he knocked at the door before he pushed it open. Around a hundred pairs of eyes turned glanced at them in surprise.

"Can I help you, Sir?" the professor asked, just as confused as the students.

Mac nodded. "We're here because we would like to talk to Mr. Dobson and Mr. Pratt."

The professor opened his mouth to respond, but Danny had already spotted the two men; their reactions to Mac's request had caught their attention. Just briefly, the two young men exchanged a glance before they forced themselves to stay as calm as possible. Keeping themselves straight, they got up.

"What can we do for you, Sir?" one of them asked.

It was Danny's and Flack's turn to exchange a glance before they made their way over to Dobson and Pratt, both with a grin on their faces.

"Mr. Dobson, Mr. Pratt, you're arrested," Mac announched.

"What?" the man Danny was about to arrest wanted to know.

"You're arrested for threatening innocent people, and for trying to blackmail them into doing what you want them to do," Danny said, grabbing the wrists of the man.

"And for kidnapping," Flack added, handcuffing the other man.

Mac nodded. He let his eyes wander over the other students. "If anyone of you has a problem with that, you might speak up now. Then we can arrest you as well, for helping Mr. Dobscon and Mr. Pratt for committing those crimes."

Neither the students nor the professor said a word as the three detectives led the two men out of the room. Danny was still excited; he was looking forward to how Lindsay would react. Once again, they all had worked together. Once again, they had proven what a fantastic team they were. All of them were good, but the most successful they were when they helped each other.


	72. What Really Matters

**A/N: Hello everyone! I would like to send huge hugs to all of you who are still following this fic! I won't repeat what I said in my previous author's note, but your feedback and support means so much to me. This fic is two years old already, can you believe that? Thanks to everyone who is still following and reviewing! You guys rock! Here is a new chapter again. After this chapter, there'll be a time jump. I have a few smaller and bigger storylines planned, but I'm flexible, so if anyone of you has requests etc, feel free to ask! As I want this fic to continue for tons of more chapters, some nice storylines always fit in. ;) Special thanks to afrozenheart412, Storywriter, rocksmacked and Andorian Ice Princess-AIP!**

* * *

**Chapter 72: What Really Matters**

A few days later:

It was a sunny morning of what seemed to be a beautiful Sunday. With a smile on his face, Danny woke up. Said smile widened even more as he felt how Lindsay snuggled into him, tightening her arms around him.

He loved to wake up like that. He still couldn't believe that they weren't together for a whole year yet. To him, this only proved how close they really were. They had fallen in love and immediately known that they had found the right one in each other.

The perfect relationship. Danny could still remember the time when he had been a bachelor. Back then, he had been independent, able to do whatever he liked to do. Now he was married to Lindsay and he couldn't get enough of all those feelings this caused.

They were happy together, and even though they had seemed to be so different at the beginning, they had accepted each other just the way they were. Neither of them had to worry about what the other one was thinking.

It had taken Danny a while, but thanks to her, he had learnt to accept himself the way he was and his past as well. He was also glad to know that he had helped Lindsay to deal with what Katums had done to her. For a long while now, she hadn't had any nightmares and he hoped this wouldn't change again.

"Someone is deep in his thoughts again I think," his wife's soft voice caused him to snap back to the present again.

Glancing down at Lindsay, Danny smiled. "Do you like to watch me while I'm deep in my thoughts?"

Nodding, she moved closer. "I love it, because you look so adorable then. You look so sweet and happy."

He cringed playfully. "I still don't like it when you use words like adorable to describe me."

Laughing, Lindsay adjusted her position a bit so that she was almost lying on top of him. Even through the fabric of her thin sleeping dress and of his own clothes were separating them, he could feel the heat of her skin, which immediately had an all too familiar effect on him.

Gently, he ran a hand through her curly hair, enjoying how it felt like silk. "I'm so glad to see you smile and laugh again," he told her.

Her smile softened. "I know I was so worried when this brotherhood showed up and threatened us. I was so angry. I found it unfair."

"But now you don't have to be worried anymore. Dobson and Pratt will stay in prison for a very long time," Danny said. "So will those helpers closest to them. You know how the professors and everyone else reacted. They will make sure that something like that won't happen again."

"Fortunately," Lindsay sighed. "But as much as this worried me, I also have to admit that I think those events had an advantage as well."

"An advantage?" Danny wanted to know.

Lindsay nodded. "Yes. It showed us once again how much we can count on each other and on our family members and friends. We worked together so well. Together, we managed to find out what those people had planned and how to stop them. I believe even if the dear Mr. Garret hadn't helped us, we would have found a way to arrest them. I'm proud of all of us for that."

"Oh, that is true," Danny agreed. "We're a wonderful team. I'm glad we could all count on each other like that."

"I also am glad to know that my husband is always there for me," Lindsay added with a light smirk.

"Didn't you know that before?" Danny teased her softly.

Lindsay chuckled. "I knew it all the time. Yet it feels good to be reminded of it. I know this case was no easy for you either. It is always complicated when you have to deal with groups like this brotherhood and you, Mac and Don had no evidence that could help you. I remember how difficult it was for you when my father asked you for help because he didn't know what else to do. You did so well with helping everyone and finding solutions, yet you also always had time to be there for me as well. You listened to me, you supported me and made sure that I calmed down whenever I got too worried."

"Don't you forget how often you supported me already as well," Danny answered, bending forward to place a gentle kiss onto her lips. "May I remind you of the problems I had because of my family? I also didn't forget how you stepped up for me and told my uncle what leaving me in the city had meant for me. It felt good."

He chuckled as he saw how Lindsay's cheeks reddened lightly. She still found it difficult to accept compliments, for whatever reason. Due to that, Danny made even more compliments though; he wanted her to get used to them.

"I hope now that those men have been arrested, everything will be back to normal," Danny added then. "The last few weeks have been stressful and I would be grateful if we could relax a bit."

Lindsay nodded. "Remember, we want to plan Mac's and Stella's wedding. I want to be as nice as ours."

"Yes, me, too," Danny agreed. He sighed playfully. "Aren't we all busy? Mac and Stella are planning their wedding. Jessica has so much to do with her own cafe. And Don finally got his promotion."

"I think Don really deserved this promotion," Lindsay replied. "He works so hard and he is so good with his job. Remember how many difficult cases we solved lately. For example he was involved when we uncovered those corrupt police officers. Thanks to him and us, they aren't working for the New York Police Department anymore. He can be so proud of himself."

"I think he is," Danny replied. "He isn't someone who thinks too high of himself, but I think the way his father and Jessica praised him, he can't help but be proud as well. Speaking of Jessica, she also does fantastic with the cafe. I talked to Cliff and he said that he always knew she would be able to have her own cafe."

"She is very good indeed," Lindsay agreed.

Danny smirked as he studied her. "And my dear wife helps Stella with her collection and will be a famous journalist soon. I have to say I'm quite proud myself."

He laughed as once again, Lindsay's face turned bright red. "Do you really not have a problem with the fact that Stella and I are working together? And that I want to write for newspapers? I know I won't ever be famous or even well known, but I would like to do it. If you don't want me to though..."

"Would you really allow me to say no to this wish of you?" Danny wanted to know.

Lindsay shrugged. "Actually I learnt to do what I think is right for me, but if you really had a problem with it, I would maybe slow down a bit."

Danny understood what his wife was talking about. Lindsay was a strong and independent woman; thanks to him and Stella but also thanks to her own character, she had made sure to return to who she had been before she had been forced into engagement with Daniel Katums. She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to ask for it. But he also knew how much this marriage meant to her, and that she wanted them both to be happy.

"I really don't mind this at all," he repeated what he had said so many times before already. "I love that you found work to do that makes you happy. I know how many ideas you have and how good you are with picking colours and fabric for Stella's dresses. I also know how good you are with doing research and with writing articles. Do what makes you happy. Then I'm happy as well."

"And what else could I do to make you happy?" Lindsay asked, with her finger drawing lines on his chest.

This gesture, mixed with her words, made it impossible for Danny not to grin. "I hope you know how that sounded like," he told her.

Once again, her cheeks reddened, but she didn't seem to be shy at all. "So? I believe you're having inappropriate, naughty thoughs here, Sir," she said in her best fine voice.

His grin widened even more. "Naughty? Yes. But inappropriate? How many times am I supposed to remind you that we're married? So it is perfectly fine to do what I have in mind."

"Mr. Messer, I really don't know if I should agree with that," she whispered in her best seducing voice.

"Oh, you should." With that, he rolled them over, pinning her into his mattress. He laughed as she squealed. Danny knew exactly that Lindsay agreed with him. He could see it in her eyes. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, even if she wouldn't admit this.

"I really think you and I should focus on our marriage more," he told her softly, admiring his beautiful wife. "Our friends are so busy with themselves, it's the perfect chance for us to concentrate on each other only. We also still deserve a lovely honeymoon."

"Oh yes, a honeymoon!" she exclaimed. "I want that as well."

"Fantastic," he answered, offering a smirk. "Then you will surely like what I have in mind."

"But I thought you had something naughty in mind," she said with a wink.

Chuckling, he bent down to her. "I love the way you think," he told her.

With that, Danny kissed Lindsay, simply enjoying their closeness. They had seemed to be so different at the beginning, but now they knew they had a lot in common. This marriage was perfect. It was exactly what both of them had always wanted.

* * *

Standing at the large window of his apartment, Sid let his eyes wander across the tall buildings of New York City. He loved this place, even though he missed the good, old farm sometimes. A lot of things had been easier over there; not because he didn't have much work to do, but because other things that money had been important.

During the last couple of days, Sid had once again been reminded of what really mattered. There had been a time when he had believed that he had to work a lot and very hard to make his family happy. Now he knew that all that mattered was love; for them and for him.

When Dana had been kidnapped, Sid had been so worried that he had been close to looking for her and doing everything the brotherhood had wanted. Fortunately Mac and the others had prevented him from making mistakes. Yet this didn't change that once again, he had been reminded of how much he loved his wife.

"I hope it is something nice you're thinking about," Dana said, interrupting him in his thoughts as she stepped next to him. She linked her arms with his to enjoy the view together with him.

"Indeed," Sid answered. "I just thought about how happy I am that you returned to New York and that we agreed to give each other another chance."

Dana nodded. "I often thought that our break up was a huge mistake, but maybe it was even needed. Maybe this break up allowed us to realise how much we mean to each other. How close we still are. I think the love was there all the time."

"That is true," Sid agreed. "I once again realised how strong it is when those men kidnapped you. I was so worried. I'm so glad you're back and fine. I would have done everything to get you out of there."

Dana smiled up at him. "I know that, Sidney, and I'm grateful to be aware of that. I really am. You and I, we learnt from our mistakes. They made us stronger. They made us realise what we really want."

Sid smiled. "Danny and Lindsay want to enjoy their honeymoon soon. Maybe we should have a vacation as well."

Dana looked at him in surprise. "Do you think you can take some time off?"

Sid nodded. "I will just do it. I know what you're thinking. But my job isn't more important than the ones I love. I want to spend some time with you, Dana. Without anyone expecting me to work. We deserve it."

The smile Dana gave him said more than words. Sid knew how much this idea meant to her and how proud she was of him; he had learnt what really mattered.


	73. Love Everywhere

**A/N: Wow! I'd like to send super huge hugs to all of you who reviewed the previous chapter; I think I didn't get that much feedback in ages! It means so much to me; I could hug and kiss you all! Thank you, really! Also for still reading this fic! Big thanks to lily moonlight for betaing! Special thanks to lily moonlight, ImaSupernaturalCSI, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, RandomTVFan30, rocksmacked and Hannah554!**

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**Chapter 73: Love Everywhere**

A few months later

The sun shone bright in the deep blue sky, causing the thick layer of snow that covered the city to glister like millions of tiny diamonds. The air was cold; ice cold. Yet the New Yorkers didn't want to stay in their houses. Instead everyone wanted to enjoy the beautiful winter day.

With a broad smile on his face, Sheldon sped up his steps. It was a beautiful morning and the prospect of the party he would join later caused his heart to beat faster. He would meet all his friends for a wonderful New Year's Eve party, and if he was lucky, a certain someone would join them, too.

Of course only if Aiden agreed to go to this party with him. He was sure she would be invited anyway, but Sheldon wanted to be the one who asked her. He wanted to be the one who would pick her up at her apartment and escort her to the restaurant.

Sheldon's smile widened as he made his way through Cental Park. He had asked her to meet him at one of the lake. They had visited it before. It was a lovely place and he could remember how much Aiden had enjoyed this trip.

Aiden. Sheldon wasn't willing to admit it yet, but she had caught his attention. Not only was she beautiful, she was interesting as well. She had grown up in a beautiful city in Italy, yet she had been willing to start a whole new life in this big city. She had had no idea what would be awaiting her, yet she had dared to make that step.

For a woman, such a step was huge, and it showed to Sheldon what a strong and brave woman Aiden was. She had a dream, and she wanted to make it come true. She would be a fantastic doctor. Sheldon was grateful that she turned to him for advice so often.

But Sheldon also knew he had to keep his rising feelings to himself for now. Aiden had been married before, and from what she had told him so far, the marriage hadn't been nice in any way. Aiden had tried her best to be a good wife, but had been more than unhappy with her former husband.

She had dared to get divorced, had accepted the fact that a lot of people had turned their back on her. But she hadn't been able to handle the relationship any longer. And she would need her time until she was able to get involved with a man again, until she would be able to trust in another man.

Sheldon knew he had to be careful, but as he spotted Aiden in the distance, sitting on a bench near the lake, lost in her thoughts, he could again feel his heart racing. So beautiful she was in her dark, long coat, with that long, black hair. He would keep his feelings to himself. For now.

"Hello Aiden," he greeted her as he reached her. "I'm sorry I'm a little late, but a patient needed me."

Aiden greeted him with a bright smile. "Don't worry, Sheldon. I'm happy you're here." She watched him as he sat down on the bench as well. "You asked me to meet you because you wanted to talk to me about something?"

Sheldon nodded. "I'm not sure if your brother had already mentioned this, but there's a New Year's Eve party at Jessica's cafe tonight."

"Oh, I hadn't heard about that," Aiden answered. The look in her eyes told him he had caught her attention. Now was the perfect moment to ask his question.

"May I take you to the party?" he wanted to know. "I'm sure you'd enjoy it and if you don't mind, I could pick you up and we could go together."

Aiden's eyes widened in surprise. "You'd like to go with me? That is so sweet of you. I would love to go with you."

"Really?" Sheldon couldn't help but ask. Quickly, he shook his head, trying to push those thoughts out of his mind. "That's great. I'll pick you up at 8 then. Does that sound good?"

"It sounds very good to me," Aiden answered.

Happily, Sheldon took in the beautiful smile Aiden offered. The first step in the right direction was made.

* * *

For days, Jessica had been preparing the cafe for the New Year's Eve party. It wouldn't be a big event, but all of their friends would be there. They would celebrate together, and just the thought of that excited her.

This year had been special to all of them. A lot had happened, but the most important was the fact that three couples had managed to admit their love to each other. Two couples had gotten married already, and sooner or later, she and Flack would do the same. A few weeks ago, he had finally asked her, and she was eagerly looking forward to the special day which had been so beautiful already when her best friends had celebrated it.

"Someone seems to be happy," a very familiar voice said, interrupting her in her thoughts.

"Hello Don," Jessica greeted him, her smile even widening. He had stepped over to her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him.

"Oh, someone's eager," he whispered against her lips, smirking.

She chuckled. "I'm allowed to kiss my fiance whenever I want to. Especially as no one else is around." She smirked as well. "Do you remember how many times we met here secretly? Now we're about to get married."

Don nodded. "I just wish you and I would be able to spend more time with each other. I'm not getting married to my job after all."

"Oh, don't you worry." Gently, Jessica ran a hand through his short hair, studying her future husband. "I know you love your job and since you got your well deserved promotion, you have to work a little more. But sooner or later, it will get better."

"So you're not angry?" he wanted to know, hints of relief in his voice.

Jessica shook her head. "No, I'm not angry at all. Instead I'm proud of you. You're such a good detective, and you deserved this promotion so much."

"I always knew I'd marry the best woman ever." He bent down and kissed her again. "I think you've worked enough for now. The cafe is perfect for the dinner party. Why don't you and I enjoy the rest of the day together? We could do something we didn't do in a long while. Maybe we could go to the park and enjoy the lovely weather?"

"I really like your ideas, Don," Jessica answered, kissing him back.

A few minutes later, the cafe was closed again and Flack and Jessica were on their way to the park. Both had a lot of work to do, especially lately. Yet they were determined to spend a lot of time with each other as well.

* * *

They had returned from their honeymoon just a week ago, yet Stella and Mac felt as if they were still on vacation. After their wedding, they had left for a couple of weeks, simply to enjoy a trip along the East Coast of the country, to discover big cities and lonely beaches.

A vacation with her husband. Just the thought of that still caused a bright smile to spread across Stella's face. It sounded too wonderful to be true. Very clearly she could remember how she had met Mac for the first time in Central Park, many months ago. She almost would have missed him, but fortunately this man had caught her attention, and she had dared to approach him.

Now they were a married couple, and still it felt like a dream to her. Their honeymoon had been lovely, and it seemed as if she could feel the strong wind playing with her hair and taste the salty water of the sea on her lips when she closed her eyes.

"Don't you wish we could go back?" she asked as she joined Mac in the bedroom. They were just about to get ready for the New Year's Eve party, and her smile widened once again as she caught her husband in his suit. Mac looked great in suits, and Stella never got tired of admiring him in them. It made her choose her dress for the night even more carefully.

"I'm sure we'll get our chance to go on vacation again," Mac promised with a smile of his own. He turned his attention back to his tie, but as he felt Stella continued watching him, he gave her a questioning look. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking about something," Stella answered, not surprised he had caught her glance. She hesitated for a second, but then decided to be honest to him. "Now that you and I are married...you still believe it was the right decision, don't you? I remember what your opinion of marriage was when you and I met."

Stella knew she didn't have to say more; Mac understood. Back then, a new marriage had been the furthest from his mind. He was still thinking about Claire, his former wife, a lot. She also knew he hadn't been sure what Claire would have thought if he had gotten married again, even though he knew those thoughts were nonsense.

Now Mac had allowed himself to fall in love again, and Stella couldn't help but wonder if the step to marry her had really been right for him.

"Stella," Mac said then, closing the distance between them. The soft smile he offered caused her heart to warm. "I don't even have to answer this. My decision to marry you was the best decision I could have ever made. I love you, more than anything. I hope you know that."

"I do," Stella answered, and she couldn't help but smile relieved. "And as this honeymoon was so wonderful, I really hope we'll be able to go on another vacation again soon."

"I'm sure we will," Mac replied and Stella knew he was right.

The couple finished getting ready for the party and then left together. As they walked down the street, Stella caught herself by watching Mac once again. For both of them, getting married had been a big step, but both of them knew it had been worth it.

* * *

"Do you think this dress will be okay for the party?" Lindsay asked.

Danny chuckled at the question, mixed with his wife's expression. "I don't know how many more times you want to repeat that question and then redress again, no matter what I say."

She sighed playfully, couldn't help but smile herself though. "I'm not sure how honest you are. After all, you think I could just go naked. Which is a very inappropriate thought by the way."

He laughed. "How many more times do I have to repeat that it's not? You're my wife, I admire and love you. I'm allowed to enjoy your beauty when you undress."

Danny grinned as he noticed how Lindsay's cheeks flushed softly. He enjoyed teasing her about this topic. There was still this young woman who had been taught to behave and not show any emotions deep within her; a lady who had to learn how to behave among people of the upper society.

Fortunately Danny had managed to help her be the Lindsay she really was. Especially he loved to see her when she gave in to her own wishes, and even more it amused him when she managed to surprise herself with her own behaviour.

Getting up from his location on the bed, Danny made his way over to Lindsay and stepped behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, he watched them in the mirror in front of them for a moment. They were indeed a beautiful couple, and fitted together perfectly. They were so different, yet had so much in common. It was a fascinating mix, and he didn't get tired of being grateful for this relationship.

"How are you feeling today?" he wanted to know then.

"Good," she answered. "Why are you asking?"

"I just wanted to know because you seem to have felt a little uncomfortable lately," Danny answered. "You seem to be a lot more tired than usual"

"I know, but I'm feeling really well," Lindsay told him, offering a soft smile. "I'm just a bit excited. I enjoy those parties a lot." She sighed comfortably, leaning back into him. "Do you know that a year ago, you and I met for the first time? Now look where we are; we're married."

"That happens when you find this one big love. The perfect partner for you," he said, placing a soft kiss onto her shoulder. "Are you happy?"

"More than you can imagine," she answered. "How could I not be happy? I have the most perfect husband, I have great friends and a wonderful family. Even my parents got back together."

Danny chuckled. "I know what my mother would add now."

"What would she add?" Lindsay wanted to know.

Once again kissing her, he answered, "She would tell us that now is the right time to have a baby."

Her expression changed at his words; just briefly, but he noticed it anyway. He didn't know how to interpret it, but before he could question her, she asked, "And what do you think about that?"

Danny shrugged. "It's our decision when we want to have a baby. This is about us and our family. I think we should have a baby when we're ready for it, not when anyone tells us to do it."

"Yes, I'm sure we'll know when we want to have a baby," Lindsay answered and he caught a tone in her voice that confused him slightly. But once again, he got no chance to ask because she continued, "So you really think this dress suits me and is good for the party?"

He nodded. "It's perfect. You're beautiful, and this dress shows that even more."

Her smile widened. "Thank you." She turned around in his arms, looking up at him with warmth in her eyes that made him happy.

"I love you," he said, almost instinctively.

"I love you, too," she answered.

And once again, Danny kissed Lindsay. Indeed the two of them had gotten together and then had gotten married very quickly. But both of them knew for sure that waiting any longer would have been unnecessary. They belonged together; that was a fact and both of them were aware of it.


	74. Happy New Year

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank you all for your patience. :) I'm so glad you're still reading this fic and I'm so grateful for your lovely reviews. Thanks so much for that. It's a little difficult to keep on writing a fic that's so long already, so your support means a lot to me. Huge thanks to lily moonlight for betaing. Special thanks to afrozenheart412, RandomTVFan30, lily moonlight, rocksmacked, SM-FARaiNtrain, Storywriter and Andorian Ice Princess-AIP!**

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**Chapter 74: Happy New Year**

By the time Danny and Lindsay arrived at the cafe, all of their friends were awaiting them already. It was the perfect day for a party. The sky above was dark, it seemed as if only the moon was offering some light, along with the city lights. The city was covered in a thick, glistering layer of snow.

Instinctively, Lindsay snuggled into Danny's side. With a smile on his face, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close. There had been a time when they had been hesitant to show their feelings for each other in public; couples weren't supposed to do that, even when they were married.

But by now, neither of them cared whether it was appropriate to kiss in the middle of the street or not. They loved each other, they had to faced so many hindrances in the past. No one had the right to tell them what to do and how to behave.

A lot had happened during this year. At the beginning of it, the couple had met for the first time. Now they were married, had found their great love in each other. They had also watched the same happening to their friends.

"Can you believe this?" Lindsay asked after a while of walking next to each other in silence.

"What do you mean?" Danny wanted to know.

Snuggling further into him, Lindsay answered, "Can you believe how much changed during this year? You and I met, we fell in love, we got together." She sighed. "There was a time when I thought believed I had to marry someone else. Now I'm married to my great love. Could I be any happier?"

"I know exactly how you're feeling," Danny told her, placing a soft kiss into her curly hair.

"And then look at our friends," she continued. "Mac and Stella met, fell in love and got married as well. Jessica and Don finally admitted that they're together. My mother returned and my father and she her are back together. We're a real family again. You met your family after such a long time. Your sister decided to move and she and Sheldon really like each other. Is it possible all that happened?"

"Obviously it is," he said. "It's find it rather exciting. We all also had so many problems, but somehow we managed to handle them all together." A soft smile lit his face and she didn't miss the slightly melancholy expression in his eyes. "There was a time when I had no one. Absolutely no one. Now I have a wife and a this huge bunch of people who like me. It feels like a dream comeing true. Don't you agree?"

She nodded in agreement. "There's a lot we have to should be grateful about." She hesitated; a lot had changed, and things continued to change. There was something she hadn't told her husband about and she would need her time until she would do so. Another big change was awaiting them, and she knew it was good news. Yet she was careful and hesitant, needing to be sure before she opened up about the little secret which no one knew about so far yet.

As the couple entered the cafe, they were greeted by the sound of music mixed with laughter. All chairs and tables had been pushed aside and had been covered in lovely little details that decorated were decorating the room. In the middle of it they found a large dining table, surrounded by all their friends, with deliciously smelling meals placed all over it. The pure joy that welcomed them quickly pushed all hesitation and worries aside which Lindsay had dealt with just a second ago. The year had been filled with chances and lovely surprises for every person in this room, and in Danny, she had found a partner who loved and supported her. With everything.

"Look who finally arrived!" Smiling brightly, Jessica made her way over to the two newest arrivals, greeting them both with tight embraces. "We've been waiting for already. Look who Sheldon broughttook with him! I'm glad your sister decided to join us as well."

Indeed Aiden sat was sitting next to Sheldon at the long dining table, laughing along with the others.

"Sheldon said he has big news for us," Jessica whispered as she led Danny and Lindsay over to the group of friends as well, letting them join between Flack and Mac.

"Oh, big news?" Danny chuckled. "I have a feeling I know already what those news might be."

"Don't you ruin his surprise for us," Lindsay warned him playfully. Instinctively, she had to think of her own secret again. She knew; if her instinct hadn't betrayed her, there would soon be even more news to be announced. Once again, nervousness rose inside her, and quickly shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside again.

"I think believe everyone's here now," Jessica said satisfied, joining her friends at the dining table. Also a lot of family members had also agreed to come; Cliff Angell had managed to pay the party a visit, along with Sid and Dana and smiling at her father, Jessica continued, . "I'm happy to welcome you all to our New Year's Eve party; the first party in my very own cafe. It's a joy to see how crowded my beloved dining table is. I remember just a year ago when, quite a lot of us didn't even know each other. Now I'm seeing married and engaged couples, friends who met during this year and will stay a welcome part of this big family."

Lindsay exchanged a glance with Danny at those words. Jessica spoke Indeed she was saying the truth. A year ago, most of them hadn't known each other. Indeed they had become a big family, had faced a lot of hindrances together and had made their way through them with strong support by their side.

"I think at this point, someone usually holds a big speech, talking about what happened during this year, what challenges every single one of us had to face and how much there is we can be grateful for," Jessica continued. "But I think that believe as we all know each other, there is no need for unnecessarily long speeches. Instead I'd like all of us just to enjoy this party, enjoy that we're about to enter the new year together, unlike the way we started it. I'm happy you all managed to come and I hope you'll have a wonderful time."

The group of friends cheered as Jessica sat down. More words weren't needed. It was Sheldon who caught everyone's attention then.

"Now that everyone's here, there's something I'd like to announce," he started. The tiny smile he gave Aiden at those words immediately made Lindsay agree with Danny; it was easy to guess which news their friend had to share.

"As you all know, I've been working together with the dear and talented Aiden for a while by now," he continued as everyone stayed quiet, signalling him they were listening. "I'm not one for long and unnecessary speeches either. This is why I'd like to announce that Aiden and I have decided we would like to give a relationship a try." He glanced at Danny. "As long as her brother doesn't mind."

Danny laughed. "I think believe my sister would get very mad at me if I dared to say something against this decision now."

"You're very right with that," Aiden answered , grinning at himwith a wink.

"This is a great surprise, Sheldon," Flack said, giving the doctor an appreciating nod. "I always thought the two of you would make a lovely pair."

"Of course you knew that." Jessica rolled her eyes at him playfully, causing the others to laugh.

"Speaking of surprises," Stella interrupted the cheering then. "As you know, Mac and I would never return from our lovely honeymoon without some gifts for our friends."

"You got presents for us?" Adam asked excited.

Mac nodded. "During our trip along the east coast, Stella used every possible chance to buy little presents for all of you. She thought it'd be lovely to share our impressions of those cities with you."

"That's really sweet lovely of you," Lindsay said with a smile.

"I think you're telling me with that you want to tell me that you're interested in yourmy presents?" Stella's smile widened as she reached under the dining table. "Then, before we start to enjoy this delicious dinner, I'd like to hand your gifts to you."

With those words, she presented bags, filled with various bigger and smaller gifts, to her friends. A few minutes later, the room was filled with excited voices as everyone examined what Stella had chosen for them. Soon after the group had calmed down enough, Jessica announced that it was about time to enjoy the meals she had lovingly cooked during the day.

Midnight was approaching rapidly as the friends and family members finished eating. Even though they had sat for hours nowwere sitting together for hours by this time of the night, noneeither of them felt the slightest bit tired.

Even Lindsay had enjoyed the delicious food. She had been amused by how hungry Danny had been, but not the slightest bit surprised. She herself had been more careful, not willing to upset her stomach. She hadn't missed the occasional glances her husband had given her, but with a reassuring smile, she had prevented him from asking questions.

After dinner, the volume of the played music was increased, the dining table was carried to one corner of the room, allowing the friends to dance to the music and. Lindsay used the busy atmosphere to sit down at the bar, allowing herself a break. Even though she wasn't tired, she felt slightly exhausted.

"Are you getting tired already?"

The warm voice of her mother caused Lindsay to glance up in surprise. She hadn't noticed her mother had approached her, after watching her for quite a while during the long dinner party.

"Just a tiny bit," Lindsay answered with a smile. She took a deep breath as she felt the sickness in the pit of her stomach to return. "And you? Don't you want to dance with Dad? He seems to be in such a good mood tonight. He's so happy ever since you chose to return and ever since he agreed to give your marriage another chance."

Dana smiled softly. "He also told me he's so much happier and more relieved since he knows that his beloved daughter found herself a loving husband." She paused, studying Lindsay, causing a strange kind of nervousness to rise inside her daughter. Lindsay had always been amazed by her mother's gift to read her like an open book.

"What are you thinking about, Mom?" she wanted to know.

"Oh, I was just wondering if you shared your great news with Danny yet," Dana told her, still with the same friendly smile.

"Which great news?" Lindsay asked with in surprise widened eyes.

Dana chuckled. "Don't you behave like that, my dearest. I know very well what you're hiding in front of everyone. Don't you forget that I'm a mother myself. So when will you let Danny know that the two of you are expecting a baby?"

Lindsay stared at her mother in disbelief, unable to understand what she had just heard from the older woman. Dana was good at realising when her daughter was hiding something in front of her; when Lindsay had been a young girl, she hadn't been able to keep any secret hidden in front of her mother. Instantly, Dana had noticed when her daughter had been upset for example. That her mother even had the gift to find out that Lindsay suspected she was was suspecting to be pregnant though came as an unexpected surprise.

"I don't even know if I'm really expecting a baby," she whispered then. "It's only a suspicion, and I don't want to reveal it until I'm certain about it. I know how much Danny is longing to be for becoming a father, even though he wouldn't admit it. He'd never pressure me into anything I might not be willing to do. So far, we agreed to wait with having a baby until we're both sure this is what we really want. But I know very well how much he wants a baby, and I don't want to excite him just to tell him afterwards that he has to wait even longer."

"Of course I can understand that," Dana let her daughter know. "I just wanted to be sure that you're not you don't keeping it to yourself because you don't dare to tell him the truth, because if there is a man you can open your heart to and share everything with, it's Danny."

"I know that, Mom," Lindsay replied with a smile of herself. "It'll be wonderful to surprise him with this."

"And how are you feeling about theose news yourself?" Dana wanted to know. "You told me about Danny's thoughts, but what about you?"

Lindsay's smile widened lightly as instinctively, her hand came to rest on her flat belly. "I was worried at first, and confused, . This comes unexpected, but then I spent some time with thinking about this, and now I don't fear those changes any longer. A baby will make our little family. I think by now, I'm really hoping that indeed I really am'm pregnant."

Dana nodded. She was about to reply, but changed her mind as Danny joined them. With a broad smile, he wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, placing a soft kiss onto her cheek. "I don't want to interrupt the ladies' conversation, but there are only a few more seconds left until we enter the new year. The others agreed to go outside and I know believe you'd like to join."

Nodding, Lindsay exchanged another glance with her mother until she followed Danny. They joined their friends just in time as they started the countdown. Couples had formed, friends were eagerly counting down the seconds.

"Happy New Year!" echoed across the street then, in time with fireworks lightening up the dark sky. Suddenly, the formerly quiet city seemed to be fully awake and loud again as every New Yorker had joined in to welcome the new year.

"Happy New Year," Danny said softly as he wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her close against him.

"Happy New Year," Lindsay repeated, smiling up at him.

Just briefly, Danny and Lindsay let their eyes wander across their family members and friends, with satisfaction seeing how the couples kissed, how the singles cheered. Then their lips met in a deep, loving kiss as well. The year had been an exciting journey for all of them, and they knew that mucha lot more joy and happiness was awaiting them.


	75. Share Your Thoughts With Me

**A/N: I think it makes no sense to apologize again for being so late with updating. ;) I will continue updating but like I said before, I might be a bit slow. Thanks so incredibly much to everyone who's so patient and still reading this fic, especially after all the chapters. I know I'm repeating myself, but it means so much to me! Thanks to lily moonlight for betaing! I hope this time I didn't accidentally leave the corrections in. ;) Special thanks to RandomTVFan30, RaiN-n-Rizzlesgal, afrozenheart412, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, ImaSupernaturalCSI and rocksmacked!**

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**Chapter 75: Share Your Thoughts With Me**

"I don't mean to sound jealous, but I think your office is a lot nicer than mine. Did I ever tell you that?" Flack asked with a slight grin, making himself comfortable on the couch in Danny's office.

It was a nice place where Danny didn't mind staying during his hours at work. The office wasn't big, but to him it was a good size. He had a nice view across New York. Lindsay had placed a few plants for decoration and on top of his desk, he had various pictures of the two of them.

As Flack spoke, he didn't pay attention though. He was too busy with his own thoughts; thoughts that had spun in his mind for quite a while now.

Which didn't stay unnoticed to Flack. His friend studied him for a moment before he raised his eyebrows. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Huh?" Shaking his head to clear his mind and to be able to concentrate on what his friend said, Danny glanced up. He hated to be caught while being lost in his thoughts; even though he knew it wasn't possible, he often feared people could read his mind.

"I asked what's the matter," Flack repeated. "You seem to be busy with some thinking, and judging by your expression, you're not so happy with them."

Danny couldn't help the tiny smile that twitched at the corners of his mouth. Of course he should have expected his friend would notice the chance of his mood and would offer to listen. There was no need for him to keep his thoughts to himself and so he cleared his throat, leaning back in his desk chair.

"I'm just a little confused by Lindsay's behaviour at the moment," he admitted.

"What's she doing?" Flack asked. "Is she driving you crazy with something? I heard it's a joy to be married...I'm still not sure what to think of that."

Danny chuckled. "No, you know very well how much I enjoy being married to my sweetheart." He sighed. "But as of lately, something doesn't seem right. She's often so tired, even falls asleep during the day. Then there are her eating habits. Sometimes she can't eat anything at all, then she eats so much as if she's eating for several people at once. And in the morning, she often she often feels sick." He sighed again. "I asked her if she's okay and she always says I shouldn't worry. But how am I not supposed to worry?" It was his turn to raise his eyebrows as he saw the smirk Flack gave him in response. "What's funny about that?"

"There' is nothing funny," Flack replied. "I think your wife is right though when she tells you there's no need to worry. To me, what you described makes me wonder if she's pregnant." He chuckled.

"What?" Danny stared at his friend in disbelief. "Pregnant? This idea hadn't come to his mind yet. "Are you ...serious?"

"Why not? From what I heard, a lot of women feel like that when they're pregnant." Flack's smirk froze as he realised his friend was still not in a lighter mood. "Would that be so bad? I mean, maybe I'm wrong, but what you described reminded me of that."

"But she felt like that for almost a whole month now," Danny said, once again struggling with clearing his mind. "Don't women know about such things? And if she suspects she's pregnant, why didn't she say anything to me yet? Why's she always saying she's fine?"

Flack shrugged, a slightly uncomfortable expression in his eyes. He had wanted to calm his friend down rather than riling him up even more. "Maybe she wasn't sure and didn't want to excite you or make you nervous yet. From what I know, it takes a while to find out if a woman is really pregnant. You don't know that right away."

Danny nodded slowly. "Yes, you might be right."

Flack offered an encouraging smile. "I'd suggest you ask her later. Don't bother yourself too much with wondering."

Once again, Danny nodded. He would talk to Lindsay later. He wanted to know if Flack was right, just as much as he wanted to know why she hadn't told him about the possibility of a pregnancy right away.

* * *

All morning long, Mac had been watching Stella closely. He had taken the day off, but so far, the morning hadn't been as enjoyable as he had hoped it would be. They were sitting at a lovingly set dining table, enjoying breakfast together. Like every morning, Mac had taken some time to read his newspaper and mention occasional news that had caught his attention. Unlike most of the time though, Stella had barely replied to him.

Putting his newspaper aside, Mac raised an eyebrow as he watched how she glanced down at her cereals, just digging around with her spoon in the bowl. The upset expression in her eyes caused a strong, uncomfortable feeling to rise deep within him; he didn't want to see his wife like that.

"Aren't you hungry today?" he chose to ask then.

Glancing up, Stella gave him a questioning look. Obviously she hadn't understood his question.

"I asked if you're not hungry today," he repeated.

"Oh, not so much," Stella answered, trying to offer a tiny smile. "But I'm fine, don't you worry."

"Are you sure about that?" Mac could feel she didn't want to talk about what was upsetting his wife. But more than once, Stella had told him he should share his thoughts with her and allow her to help him. Now it was her turn to be open to him as well. "Don't you want to tell me what's upsetting you so much, Stella?"

"It's nothing worth mentioning," Stella answered quickly, shaking her head. Mac had to admit he was surprised she hadn't told him she was fine again; he knew this was a subtle hint that she would open up to him if he tried just a little harder.

"Everything that's upsetting you is worth mentioning" he told her. "Don't you forget how many times you've said the exact same words to me."

A tiny chuckle escaped Stella, closely followed by a deep sigh. "Fine," she answered. "I'm just a little upset because of something that's bothered me since the New Year's Eve. I don't understand why it's bothering me again now, but sometimes it happens." She paused briefly. "I'm a little upset because...it pains me sometimes that..." She sighed again. "I don't want you to misunderstand this."

"I'm sure I won't," Mac promised. "Try to explain to me what you have in mind."

Stella nodded. She needed another few moments before she managed to continue. "I know I'm not alone, but sometimes I feel lonely. Not because I have no one around me though; please don't misunderstand me. I have the dearest husband and have wonderful friends also. But...it pains me that I have no origins. I'm not jealous because others have family members. But sometimes I wish I could go to family meetings, I could exchange letters with them or have them come over to visit us. Of course I was loved while growing up and I got everything I needed. But this doesn't change my wish to have someone in my life who's a mother or father figure for me. I'm an adult, but sometimes I wish there was such a person who I could turn to, who could offer advice." Her cheeks flushed softly. "I hope you understand what I'm trying to say with that."

"Of course I do," Mac answered. Reaching across the table, he took Stella's hands into his. "I understand you perfectly well. Unfortunately I'm not able to do much to make your wish come true. But I'd like you to know that you can always turn to me when you need to talk, or just when you need a shoulder to cry on, Stella."

A tiny, this time true smile lit her face at those loving words. "I know that, and I'm grateful for that. Thank you, Mac."

Nodding, Mac offered an encouraging smile. He wished he could do more for Stella, but at least he could offer some support until he came up with a better idea.

* * *

All afternoon long, Lindsay tried to keep herself distracted. But no matter what she tried, her excitement was stronger. In the morning, she had visited Sheldon, who had confirmed what she had suspected; she was pregnant.

Even though Lindsay had been prepared for these news, she had been stunned by the strong emotions she had experienced when Sheldon had announced that she was expecting a baby.

A baby. Finally sitting down on the living room couch, Lindsay rested her hands on her flat belly. Warmth and joy rushed through her; feelings which were so very new to her. In there, hers and Danny's baby was growing. During the next few months, she would experience how it would grow, how it would start to move inside there, and then, one day, they would be able to hold their baby for the first time.

They would be a real family. This knowledge was filling her with a strong excitement and happiness that wanted to make her embrace the whole world. She was eagerly looking forward to letting Danny know he would be a father. And that she would be a mother. Father and mother; it was too beautiful to be true.

The moment couldn't have been more perfect as she heard how the front door was opened. Instinctively, she jumped up from the couch. She replayed mentally the little speech she had prepared for this moment. But all words failed her as her husband entered the living room, his expression and body language revealing he didn't seem to be in a good mood.

"Hello," was all she managed to say.

"Hello," he greeted back. He tried to smile but failed. Instantly, she felt uncomfortable; what had upset him so much?

"Are you...alright?" she wanted to know.

Stopping in the middle of the room, he shrugged. "I keep on asking you if you're alright for a whole month now, and all I get from you is that everything's fine. Why do you keep secrets in front of me?"

"What?" Lindsay stared at Danny in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Danny released a deep sigh, and she realised he wasn't angry. Instead she saw hints of disappointment in his eyes, mixed with confusion of his own.

"I talked to Don earlier, telling him I'm worried because of how you've been behaving lately," he told her. "He suggested that you might be pregnant. I might be wrong but I'm fairly certain you're having this suspicion as well, so now I'm wondering why you're not sharing your thoughts with me. Why are you keeping them away from me?" He sighed again. "I'm sorry if I sound upset. But...I can't help but feel afraid because I want you to trust in me and talk about such things with me rather than trying to convince me everything's normal and trying to handle this all by yourself."

As she listened to her husband's little speech, Lindsay started to understand what was really bothering him. She had kept her suspicion hidden not to cause wrong hopes, but she hadn't wondered what Danny would think the moment he would suspect she could be pregnant himself. His sudden and unexpected insecurity pained her and instinctively, she closed the distance between them, grabbing his hands to prevent him from backing off.

"I'm sorry I confused you like that," she told him softly. "You're right, I did suspect I could be pregnant. But I wasn't sure about that yet. I wanted to wait a month to find out if I am expecting a baby or just felt uncomfortable for another reason. I know you'd like to have a baby one day and I didn't want to excite you with telling you I might not be pregnant without being certain about it. I didn't want to disappoint you. This has nothing to do with trust. I trust in you more than I ever trusted in anyone else before. Do you understand that?"

Lindsay locked eyes with him, nervously waiting for any kind of reaction. A rush of relief filled her as Danny offered a tiny smile then, revealing he had understood.

"That's what Don suggested as well," he said. "But you know me. I just feared you didn't want to talk to me about it because you didn't know how I'd react."

"Like I said, I'm trusting in you," she answered. Gently, she squeezed his hands. "But still I'd like to ask you; what would you think if I told you I am expecting a baby?"

Instantly, a broad smile lit Danny's face. "I'd be excited, like you expected. I know we agreed to wait until we're both ready for it. But the truth is that I _am_ ready for a baby. I'm ready for having our own little family with my wife."

Once again, excitement filled Lindsay as she got the answer she had been hoping for. Now was an even better moment to announce her news. "Then I'm happy to tell you that I really am pregnant," she told him.

"You are?" Danny asked, his eyes widening in surprise and joy. "Please tell me you're not joking."

Lindsay laughed. "I'm not joking. I visited Sheldon earlier. He confirmed that I'm pregnant. I wanted to tell you about it when you walked through this door."

"Oh, and I ruined the surprise with my speech," he said.

She offered a sweet smile. "No, you didn't. I got what I was hoping for. What I can see in your eyes is all I wanted as a reaction."

Returning her smile, Danny wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "I'm so happy. I can't even find enough words to describe it." He bent down to kiss her softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Lindsay answered. "And those words describe it perfectly."

Chuckling, Danny kissed Lindsay again. He was just as excited as her; exactly like she had hoped and expected. Once again, a beautiful warmth filled her as she felt how one of his hands came to rest on her belly. They were expecting a baby. Soon they would have their own little family.


	76. Too Many Thoughts

**A/N: Hey! :) I have a new chapter for you. First of all, I'd like to thank lily moonlight for betaing! I'd also send huge thank yous again to everyone of you for reviewing, for still supporting this fic, even after so many chapters. I have a plan for future chapters and storylines which I updated yesterday, as I had a rush of inspiration, and the next couple of chapters are all planned out now. There will be a couple of little and bigger storylines for the characters and ships and I so hope you'll like them! Again, thanks so much for all the support and I really hope you'll continue reading and hopefulyl enjoying this fic. You're all awesome and I'm incredibly grateful for your support! *huggles to the readers and reviewers of this fic* Special thanks to RandomTVFan30, RaiN-n-Rizzlesgal, afrozenheart412, rocksmacked, lily moonlight and Storywriter!  
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**Chapter 76: Too Many Thoughts**

The early morning sunshine woke them up. The warmth that greeted her caused a smile to spread across Lindsay's face immediately. She felt comfortable; no surprise after Danny's reaction to their baby.

He was looking forward to becoming a father. They had agreed to wait until they were ready, so she was glad to know he didn't mind having a baby now, without planning for it. He was excited; she had seen it in his eyes.

And she knew he would be a good father. Lindsay hadn't forgotten how much love and support Danny had offered to her when she had needed him. He still did. A man with such a loving heart had to be great in the role of a father.

Just like he was a great husband to her. For both of them, marriage and a child was a big challenge. Their love was strong though.

They could do it together. At this thought, Lindsay's smile grew even more. Yes, they would be happy with their growing family. One day, they would be able to buy themselves a house in the suburbs where they could raise heir children together. Being married wasn't easy of course, but she was determined to keep in mind what she had learned from her parents' marriage. They had to work together, hand in hand.

"You must be thinking about something very lovely."

A chuckle escaped Lindsay as she turned around to face her smiling husband. "Are you watching me again while I'm asleep?" she wanted to know.

Danny shrugged, with his smile widening. "Well, I like to watch you when you're smiling." Bending forward, he placed a loving kiss onto her cheek. "Did you sleep well? Are you feeling alright?"

Biting her bottom lip, Lindsay tried not to laugh again in amusement at Danny's words. "I slept well and I'm fine. You won't start being worried all the time, will you? I'm not sick, I'm expecting a baby, Danny."

"I know, but I'm your husband. It's my job to be worried," he replied. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers over her cheek, causing a sweet warmth to spread through her from where he touched her. "I just want to make sure you're comfortable, and that I can do something for you if you need it."

"You're so sweet." Lindsay kissed him back. "Don't worry, I'll let you know when I need anything. But don't stress yourself too much." Taking his hand into hers, she placed it on her still flat belly. This pregnancy seemed to bring them even closer together. She had always believed in soul mates, and she had found hers in her husband.

"Can you imagine that we'll be parents in a couple of months?" she asked then, releasing a sigh. "We'll have our own baby then. I think I'll have to readjust my plans a little. I think I might put my job search as a journalist on hold for now."

"Are you sure?" Danny asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "You've been working hard for your graduation." A brief smile lit his face at those words. She hadn't forgotten how proud he had been when she had received her diploma. All of them had been there to celebrate her. It had been a wonderful day.

"I know that, but I'm also working with Stella. Don't forget about that," Lindsay answered. "I love to work with her. I had no idea how much I enjoy this kind of work. Maybe one day I'll be able to work for a newspaper. But right now, I'd like to concentrate on my work with Stella, on our marriage and our baby. I don't want to neglect the little one because I have too many plans at once."

"That's true," Danny agreed. "It's good to concentrate on your work with Stella and on our family. But don't forget please that you and I are both responsible for this family. I don't want you to think you have to do all the work at home and with the baby while I only do my job. I don't want to be such a man."

"I know that, and that's very lovely of you." Once again, Lindsay kissed him to emphasize her words. "I'm fine with this though." As she caught his expression, she raised her eyebrows at him. "What are you thinking about now?"

Danny shrugged; a sign that never failed to let her know he was bothered by something.

"Don't say nothing, please," she added before he could say anything. "I can see when something's upsetting you. What happened now? Did I say anything wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not. I'm just...I think I'm just a little nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" she wanted to know.

Once again, he shrugged. "I think I'm just worried if I'll be a good father or not. I'm glad to see I'm a good husband apparently, but who says I'll be good as a father?" He hesitated. "Remember how I grew up myself? There's nothing worse for a child than feeling lonely."

"Oh Danny." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer. "I know it must have been horrible for you to be sent to another country, and I know how you had to fight until you met Mr. Angell. But what does that have to do with your ability to be a good a father? Neither you nor I will neglect our child. We'll both be there when it needs us."

"I just don't want to work so much that our child thinks it can only turn to you," Danny admitted. "I want it to know that it can also come to me whenever it wants to."

"And it'll know that," she told him, placing a loving kiss onto his cheek. "Our child will know that it can turn to either you or me. Don't you feel guilty when you have to work. We'll find our ways to spend a lot of time together as a family. Also I'm not expecting either of us to work all the time because we're not planning on becoming a rich family. You saw what my father's eagerness did to our family. All we want is enough money to pay for our house, for food and clothes and everything else we need. We might also go on vacation sometimes. We won't have to be work all day long from dusk til dawn, alright?" Once again, she kissed him. "Just believe in our little family. We can do this together, and if you feel like you don't see us often enough, we'll come up with an idea together."

To Lindsay's relief, Danny smiled at her words. Pulling her closer, he ran a hand through her hair. "You're such an amazing woman," he told her.

She smiled at him. "You and I are both wonderful." Once again, she led his hand back to her belly. "And now I want you to enjoy the prospect of us having a baby soon."

With satisfaction, Lindsay saw how his smile widened at her words. She knew that Danny would be a great father. And whenever he would be in doubt, she would be there to reassure him.

* * *

He had been so nervous when he had asked her to marry him. Flack knew that Cliff Angell liked him and wouldn't have a problem with the proposal;. Jessica had happily agreed to marry him and according to her reaction, he had made her very happy with his question. But Flack was still nervous. He wanted to marry Jessica, more than anything. But would he be able to be a good husband? Or would he disappoint her? What if he wasn't able to give her what she deserved? What if he wouldn't be able to make her happy?

"Someone's worrying too much."

Startled by the voice of Cliff, Flack looked up in surprise. He had sat down on the bench in front of the police station and hadn't seen the older man approach.

"Hello, Cliff," he greeted his fiancée's father. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I robbed a bank and now they want my statement," Cliff teased. With a deep sigh, he sat down next to Flack. "I was on my way to my restaurant and saw you sitting here. According to your expression, something's bothering you and I thought as I'll soon be your father-in-law, I could offer some advice."

A tiny smile appeared on Flack's face at the older man's words. It was very much part of Cliff to be there for others. "In fact, that's my problem," he chose to admit, knowing he couldn't fool Jessica's father anyway. "Cliff, how did you feel when you were about to get married?"

"Are you nervous?" Cliff asked instead of answering the question.

Sighing, Flack shrugged. "I guess I am." He raised an eyebrow. "Now you expect me to tell you why, am I right?"

Cliff laughed. "Why would you be nervous?"

Shrugging once again, Flack leaned back against the back of the bench. "Why am I nervous? Because I'm afraid I could disappoint her. What if I'm not able to be a good husband? What if I'm working too much and she has enough of me after a while? What if I don't earn enough money so I can pay for our family? What if I'm not the man she wants me to be? What if I disappoint her?"

"That's a lot of questions, Don," Cliff said. As Flack nodded, he reached out and patted his shoulder. "Guess what? I'd be worried if you didn't feel nervous like that. It shows you really care for my daughter. The fact that you wonder whether you're able to make her happy shows that you want nothing more than to do exactly that. And this is the reason why I know you won't mess up, Don. Because you love her, and that's all she wants. Believe me, I've been at your point, too. I was so worried myself. But look at me. I'm still married and my wife is happy. Why? Because I show her that I love her. Every single day. If you do that, nothing else really matters."

"You're really convinced I'm the right one for your daughter?" Don asked.

Once again, Cliff laughed. "Yes, Don, and that should be enough to convince you as well."

Don couldn't help but laugh as well. He knew Cliff was right. His concerns showed he cared for Jessica. Being nervous was normal. But still he made a mental note to turn to Cliff if he was in doubt again. Because obviously the older man cared for him as well.

* * *

"Here's the dress you requested," Stella said as she entered Dana's and Sid's apartment, handing the washed clothes to the older woman. Dana had invited her to come over earlier this morning, having asked Stella to make her a dress, for a dinner party. Stella had enjoyed making the dress, with a lot of help from Lindsay, who knew what her mother would like.

Unfortunately Dana's joy about the dress and her compliments didn't have their usual effect on Stella. She was trying her best to change her mood, to make herself happy again. She didn't understand herself. Everything had been perfectly fine, she had been so happy after the honeymoon.

But now, all of the sudden, she was upset. Because once again, she had realised that even though she had a loving husband and wonderful friends, something was missing. She had always understood how Danny had felt for all those years until he had gotten back in contact with his family. But Stella knew for her, there was no such opportunity. There was no one who she could call, who she could send a letter to. And even though she wasn't alone, she couldn't help but feel lonely.

"This is an incredibly beautiful dress," Dana said, gently running a hand over the smooth, silky fabric. "You're so talented, Stella."

"Oh, Lindsay helped me a lot with it also," Stella said.

Dana smiled. "I know, but that doesn't change how talented you are, my dear." Carefully, she placed the dress on her dining table, which she had cleared for it before she turned back to Stella. "This will be the most beautiful dress at the dinner party."

"It's lovely of you to say that, Dana," Stella replied, trying to smile. The way Dana raised her eyebrows though told her she had failed.

"Are you alright, Stella?" the older woman wanted to know.

"Oh, of course. I'm perfectly fine," she answered quickly. She tried to offer a better smile, but instead tears started to rise. She didn't understand herself; usually, she didn't have such sudden mood changes, and she was a lot better with controlling her emotions. As she reached up to prevent her tears from falling, the first had already rolled down her cheek.

"Would you like to sit down and have some tea with me?" Dana asked before Stella got the chance to add more or apologize for her tears. Before she could reply, Dana led her to her living room couch. "Actually it's mean of me to ask because you don't really have a choice. You'll stay here for a cup of tea now because I don't want to have it all by myself or wait until my Sidney comes home. And maybe while we drink the tea, we might also talk a little."

Overwhelmed and surprised by the actions of Dana, Stella stayed on the couch, watching the other woman as she offered a smile and hurried towards the kitchen. She knew exactly what Dana had in mind; she wanted to find out what was bothering her. And to her surprise, Stella didn't mind.


	77. Of Families And Friends

**A/N: Hello! :) Would you like to read a new chapter? I hope so! I know, I didn't update for a while. But you know, sooner or later I always get back to updating this story. And I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter! I know I'm repeating myself, but still: thank you so much for still reading this story, for reviewing it! I'm so excited that it's so long already and that you're following it and giving me feedback! You guys are so sweet and if I could, I'd just hug you all! For those of you who didn't hear about it yet, as CSI:NY hasn't been renewed yet, people are trying to show their support for the show with a campaign called 'Operation 9'. There's a petition for a season 9, so if you want to show support for our favourite show, go and sign it! Now back to story. Thanks to lily moonlight for betaing! Special thanks to RandomTVFan30, lily moonlight, Daisy1966, afrozenheart412, rocksmacked and Storywriter!**

* * *

**Chapter 77: Of Families And Friends**

Stella couldn't deny she was confused. She had hoped and expected that Dana would listen to her and not question her any further. She should have known her better. Instead Dana had made her sit down, had offered her a cup of tea and was now silently waiting for Stella to share her thoughts with her.

Talking to Mac about what had been bothering her had already been difficult. And talking to Dana? She liked Lindsay's mother. She also knew she could trust in her. But was she ready to talk about something that was so personal to her? That even made her feel silly a bit?

"Of course you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Dana said then, offering a warm smile. "But I'd like you to know that you can trust in me. Sometimes it helps to share your thoughts with someone else."

Stella nodded. "I know. But there are a few things you should just keep to yourself, because they aren't more than stupid nonsense. It's sweet of you, but I'm fine."

Dana released a little sigh. "Stella, nothing that upsets you is ever silly. Sometimes others might not understand us, but that doesn't mean we have no right to feel bothered." Reaching out, she took Stella's hands into hers, squeezing them gently. "I won't judge you, no matter what you'll tell me. I'll just listen and who knows, maybe I might even have some advice. If not, you at least got whatever upset you off your chest. Aren't we like one big family?"

At this question, Stella felt the lump in her throat get stronger again. She swallowed to get rid of it, but instead she felt the old tears to return. Shaking her head, she tried to fight them back, only succeeding partly. One big family.

"Speaking of families," she decided to say then, hoping that opening her heart to Dana wouldn't be a mistake. Stella was used to showing a strong façade; she found it difficult to let the walls come down. "I know I shouldn't feel like that at all. But sometimes you can't help those feelings."

"Feelings can't be controlled so easily," Dana agreed.

Stella nodded. She offered a brief smile before she took a deep breath. "I still think I'm silly, but...sometimes, it pains me when I'm seeing how close my friends are to their families. I don't have a family myself. I'm an orphan, so I went from one foster family to the next. I was never adopted, so the persons who took care of me changed until I moved into an apartment of my own. I don't have anyone who's a mother or father figure for me. I know I shouldn't get upset because I know that Danny didn't see his family for such a long time, he had no contact to them at all. He didn't know where they are, if they still cared for him. He even had to live in an alley, all by himself. And Lindsay..." She hesitated for a moment. "You and her also had your problems until you came back to New York. But you do have each other now and something inside me is longing for that, too. Don't misunderstand me, please. I'm so happy my dearest friends are so much closer to their family members now. But still I can't help the pain that I don't have a mother or father figure myself."

Dana nodded slowly. She was still holding Stella's hands, her thumbs brushing over the backs of them now. She waited a brief moment until she replied.

"There's nothing silly about what you just told me," she assured Stella. "It's also not wrong to feel pain when you see that your friends have found their family members, or are much closer to them now. Everyone has a longing for that, it's natural. It makes us humans." Once again, she squeezed Stella's hands. "Unfortunately I can't change what you had to go through as a child. But something I can still do for you. Maybe it's not much and I know it won't take away this pain. But I'd like you to know that no matter what's bothering you or what's making you happy, no matter what you'd like to talk about, you can always come to me."

"Dana, that's so friendly of you, but..." Stella spoke up instinctively, but Dana shook her head.

"I'm not saying that because I believe I have to offer support now," she interrupted her. "I'm saying that because you are important to me like a daughter. You're Lindsay's best friend since your childhood. I know how much you mean to her, and I also know how close the two of you are. We've spend so much time with each other lately and I can completely understand why my daughter loves you so much. You're a wonderful woman, Stella. You're so strong, so full of passion for everything you love, so incredibly determined. You can be so proud of yourself and I'd feel honoured if you saw something like a mother figure in me. I'd be happy if you turned to me whenever you needed something, or just when you're in the mood for a chat a daughter would have with her mother."

Stunned and speechless, Stella gazed back at Dana in silence. She had feared that the older woman would misunderstand her, wouldn't see what really upset her. Then she had feared that Lindsay's mother believed she had to offer support because it was expected from her.

But Dana's speech had proven her wrong. Stella could see it in her eyes, she could hear it in her voice. She meant every word, just like that. Secretly, she had often wished to have a mother like Dana. Now she had gotten this offer and she knew she had to follow her heart, not what her sometimes overly rational mind was trying to make her believe.

"Thank you, Dana," she said then, this time offering a true smile. "That means so much to me."

Smiling as well, Dana nodded. "So, what do you say? I made some cake earlier and I'd like to have your opinion of it. Your honest opinion."

Stella laughed. "I'm certain it'll be great. Did you make your famous chocolate cake again?"

As she followed Dana into the kitchen, Stella was surprised to realise that the strong lump in her throat had disappeared. Even though Dana wasn't her mother, knowing that she could turn to her like a daughter was more than she had secretly hoped for.

* * *

"Why does a wedding always mean so much stress?" Jessica asked, collapsing on the chair across of Lindsay. "There's so much to organise, so much to keep in mind. It all seems to be so easy when you watch someone else getting married. But when it's your own wedding...you can't just walk into the church and that's all you have to do."

"Well, it depends on what you're expecting from your wedding," Lindsay replied, taking a sip of her tea. "Danny's and my wedding wasn't so big. There's not so much to organise then. Did you think of having a smaller party maybe? That would make it less stressful for you, and more enjoyable."

Jessica sighed. "The truth is, I don't even need a party at all. I'd marry Don right here, in the cafe. I also don't need a huge bunch of guests bringing me a lot of gifts."

"Then why don't you do it like that?" Lindsay wanted to know. "Why do you bother yourself with the unnecessary organising?"

Jessica released another deep sigh. "I know, it would be so much easier that way. But...Don and I have been talking about a big wedding so much. I think he's expecting it now and I don't want to disappoint him. I know he would maybe agree with a smaller one, but I don't want him to agree with that just to make me happy."

Lindsay offered a tiny smile. "You're worrying too much, Jessica. Don loves you, and he doesn't seem to me like a man who expects his wedding to be big. Usually it's the women who expect to have the wedding they've been dreaming of since their childhood. I doubt he'd mind at all. Maybe you should at least consider sharing your ideas with him. After all this is your big day and you should be looking forward to it, not feel stressed because of all the organising you have to do."

"That's true of course." Jessica nodded slowly. "I might consider it." She paused, studying her friend for a moment. "What about you? How are you feeling? You seemed to feel a little uncomfortable lately."

"Oh." Lindsay could feel her cheeks flush softly as she felt the questioning glance of Jessica resting on her. She and Danny hadn't entirely decided how they wanted to share those news with their friends. But now was the perfect moment to let Jessica know and she was sure her husband wouldn't mind. "I figured out that I'm pregnant."

"You're...what?" Jessica's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. "You're expecting a baby?"

Lindsay nodded, a bright smile spreading across her face at her friend's reaction. "Yes, Danny and I will have a baby. We didn't plan on this, but I think we're ready to expand our little family."

"Oh, what wonderful news!" Jessica exclaimed. "And you let me ramble about my organisation problems. You should've interrupted me!"

Lindsay laughed. "Well, your topic was interesting as well."

"Not as interesting as a new baby," Jessica disagreed. "Now tell me everything, please. How did he react? How did you find out you were pregnant? And now does it feel like?"

Laughing at her friend's excitement, Lindsay started to tell. She was sure that Danny would share those great news with the others as well, knowing that most likely, everyone would show a similar reaction.

* * *

"So, you two are going to be parents?" Flack shook his head in amusement. "Didn't I tell you so? I should really consider a second career as a doctor."

Danny chuckled. "Don't you be so full of yourself, my dear friend." Sighing deeply, he leaned back in his chair. "Can you believe this, Don? Last year, you and I were still two single men, unsure on whether we'd find a decent woman for ourselves or not. Finding the great love seemed to be so unreal to us."

Flack nodded in agreement, a thoughtful expression in his eyes as he let Danny's words sink in. "You and I have come far during all those months. Imagine how long you and Lindsay are together now. Very soon, you can celebrate your first year anniversary. Then you got married, and now you're expecting a baby. And I? I finally dared to confess my feelings for Jessica openly, I'm getting along with her father so well and soon we'll be a married couple."

"We're grown up men, Don," Danny added with a smirk.

Flack shrugged. "Guess what? I'll take back everything I said back then when I was convinced that getting married isn't right for me. I was just scared I think. I was afraid of being tied to one person who'd know everything about me, who I'd have to let into my heart."

Danny nodded in full agreement. "But the risk of letting someone in your heart is worth it. Because what you get for falling in love with a woman is more than you can ever dream of when you're a single man."

"Oh yes," Flack agreed. "You have someone who's lying next to you every morning when you wake up. You have someone who you know is awaiting you when you're coming home."

"Yes. Someone who's always there for you when you need her," Danny added. "Someone who causes this strange feeling inside you which makes you feel like you're walking on clouds." He laughed. "This conversation has to stay between us. If anyone finds out how much we love being in love, they'll make fun of us."

Flack laughed as well. "We'd no longer be the tough men. Our secret has to stay between us." He winked before he turned serious again. "I know I didn't ask you that directly yet, but...I know Jessica already asked your wife if she wants to be her maid of honour, and I hope you know I'm expecting you to be my best man."

Danny couldn't help the broad grin that spread across his face at Flack's words. He had hoped that his best friend would ask this question. "Of course I'll do that for you," he answered.

"Thank you." Flack smiled back at him. "But maybe we should get back to a more manly topic now."

Laughing, Danny nodded in agreement. He could completely understand Flack. Since the moment he had fallen in love with Lindsay, he had realised that there was nothing more beautiful than a romantic relationship. Even he was eagerly looking forward to another couple of friends getting married.


End file.
